Whipping Boy
by Genevieve Kelly
Summary: This is a sequel to Bane of His Existence. Both are now more "what if" stories, since neither follow along with the exact storyline of season seven, though certain events from the show will have occurred. After his six weeks long sabbatical, Rogers stumbles into Roni's severely wounded. In the past storyline, Hook is captured by Lady Tremaine's men protecting his daughter, Alice.
1. Chapter 1

Whipping Boy

Chapter One

It was nearly two o'clock in the morning in Hyperion Heights and the neighborhood within Seattle was still wide awake when Rogers returned from his sabbatical, having left in the hope he could rediscover himself and try to fix the flaws he saw in his character after his abduction and in learning the dark truth about Eloise Gardener. While he had people he left behind who had expressed they cared about him and for his wellbeing, the detective had been deeply shaken by what Eloise and the women of her evil cult had done to him when he was their captive for the short time in which he had been.

Yet what shook him even more was that he still couldn't rid himself of the dangerous infatuation he felt for her, which went far deeper than a crush and despite his time away, it hadn't lessened much. An infatuation he couldn't even begin to understand now that he knew Eloise for what she really was and reviled her for all she had done. To him and to everyone else she had hurt as they fought to save and protect him from her. Rogers couldn't get Eloise, or his yearning and animosity for her out of his mind. And the longer he stayed away, his feelings only grew deeper. It frightened him.

So, Rogers decided against his better judgement to return home so he could get the proper help he knew he needed and to be together again with his friends. Eloise was most likely still at large and if she was, he could at least continue to work with his former partner should Weaver take him back like the older detective had told him he would once he returned, to bring her and her other cult followers to justice. Rogers could only hope now that doing so would help in a way his time away couldn't.

However, the moment in which he stepped foot within the bounds of Hyperion Heights after his long walk from Oregon on account of his car breaking down in the middle of nowhere on his way back from Arizona, a sense of alarm fell over him and Rogers lowered his bag he carried over his shoulder while he cautiously looked around him for whatever dangers might be lurking. However, nothing or no one was there. So, the detective picked his bag back up after he had set it down on the ground and continued walking towards Roni's bar, where he hoped that she and her sister wouldn't be the only ones inside to greet him.

Unfortunately, he didn't get much further into the Heights when Rogers was suddenly attacked from behind him as an unknown assailant forced a taser against his neck and pushed the button to send electric shocks through his entire body until the detective was rendered unconscious, then collapsed to the ground. The hero wasn't given the chance to fight back, only to cry out in pain. And the attacker, who wore dark clothes as well as a ball cap and hoodie over his head to keep his face hidden from Rogers' and any surveillance cameras' views, at last bent down and lifted the smaller man's upper body, then began to drag the detective away.

Six weeks since Rogers' departure from the Heights…

Inside Kelly & Roni's Pub, Regina was standing inside the basement where she and Zelena kept their wines stored along with the rest of the liquor crates and barrels, as well as the food for the establishment in which they ran together, as she came down to grab another two cases of brandy upon running out underneath the bar. However, the former Queen took a few minutes within the quiet to be alone. The bar upstairs was fairly busy, but thankfully not too crowded. Yet the constant commotion and noise had been getting to her as of late, and tonight she had begun to take some of her frustrations out on their patrons.

Before she could come back up, Zelena walked down to take a few minutes to talk with her sister as the former Wicked Witch spoke sternly saying, "Look… I realize that the goon you kicked out of here earlier undoubtedly deserved to have you unleash some of your penned up frustrations, worries, or… anger on him. But those patrons you barked at a few minutes ago for asking for the one drink we were out of beneath the bar… they didn't deserve that. You're lucky I just so happened to know what to say and do to get them to stay."

Regina glared at her while she retorted, "I don't care if they go or stay. At least not tonight I don't."

"Fine…" she quickly stated once she realized she was wrong, then let out a frustrated sigh before she continued. "You're right. They didn't deserve to have me bark at them. I'm sorry, Zelena. It's just that I'm… I'm so…"

"Frustrated?" the older woman from Oz interrupted her in response before Regina could finish. "Angry? Worried… about him?"

Regina quickly glanced over at her again in confusion as she questioned, "Him? What do you mean by that?"

Zelena shook her head and then replied, "You know exactly who I mean, Regina. And don't try to deny it. You're worried about Rogers. And you miss him. He's been gone for six weeks now and he could be anywhere. You haven't heard a word from him in some time."

"Of course I'm worried about him," her younger sister answered sadly. "He was so good about keeping in touch every once in awhile to let me and Gold know where he was. So we knew he was safe because we asked him to keep in touch. But lately… Not a sound. I do miss him."

"He will be back soon," the witch responded gently to try to reassure her that he would be. "Now… if you're ready to keep working, we should get back up there. Margot and Henry are hard workers, but even they can't handle this crowd tonight for too long without going crazy too."

Regina nodded as she picked up one of the crates of brandy, while Zelena picked up another, then they both returned upstairs to the bar with them and upon seeing his fiancée carrying the heavy crate, Chad immediately took it from her hands to take over carrying it for her until the dark haired woman could put the liquor from her own away. Chad had driven back up from San Francisco again to stay with her for a couple of days and to have her sign a few papers that had to do with their marriage coming up in three months.

Despite the craziness of the curse and danger they were all in so long as Gothel still had power over them, Zelena was grateful to have the man she loved with her. She had even told him the truth about who and what she really was since they had nearly been killed by Nick… or Hansel. She loved him all the more for being understanding once he got over the initial disbelief that came from being told fairytales were real when she proved it to him by showing him a few of her spell books and other magical possessions she still had despite the curse, and despite his confusion about the whole fairytale world. He still stayed with her because he truly loved her.

Once he grabbed the crate from her, Chad looked over at his fiancée as he said with frustration, "I'm sorry, Kelly, but I'm afraid I have to leave tonight instead of tomorrow night like we planned. The hospital needs me back. One of my patients isn't taking to the new heart we gave him like we hoped he would. He's sick."

Zelena looked at him in understanding and remorse while she replied, "I'm so sorry. Of course you need to get back then. Are you leaving now?"

"I can stay for a little while longer," he answered before he leaned in to kiss her. "Long enough to grab some dinner if Regina can handle you breaking away from here for an hour?"

"Of course I can," the Queen responded once she finished putting the crate under the bar while she unloaded a few of the bottles to keep them on hand for the next patrons who would want brandy, then took the crate Chad was holding to unload as well. "We can handle things here just fine. Go have fun."

Zelena and her fiancé thanked her, then turned as they were about to leave. However, as they did so, the door clanked open again and everyone turned their heads to see who was walking inside, becoming shocked when Detective Rogers stumbled inside until he suddenly fell roughly to the ground a couple of feet away from the front door.

Zelena, as well as Henry and Margot who were both working that evening, just stood there in shock like the rest of the patrons who were all staring down at the drunken or wounded man on the floor. But Regina immediately rushed out from behind the bar and ran over to him while she cried out his name, as Chad also ran over to help him, reaching him only seconds after the dark haired woman who loved the detective did.

Regina carefully rolled Rogers over onto his back while she held his head to keep him from striking it again against the floor, and quickly saw the reasons why he collapsed when Chad pulled up the bloodied torn shirt he was wearing, revealing a severe knife wound in his lower abdomen, as well as several burn marks showing he'd somehow been electrocuted multiple times, a small gash over his left brow, a large ugly bruise along his right cheekbone, and his prosthetic hand missing on top of what they couldn't see yet.

When Henry slowly approached them as well, Regina kept her eyes down on Rogers while she called out to her son, "Henry, quick… call for an ambulance and get everyone out of here. Kelly… Margot…"

The young man swiftly began to do like she asked as he replied, "We've got it, Roni."

"Come on people," Zelena brusquely stated when she, Henry, and Margot got to work in steering the patrons looking down on them out. "You heard her. And now you're hearing me. It's time for you leave. We're closing early tonight."

"Rogers?" Regina whispered fearfully while she tried to rouse him again, as he was still barely conscious, but not coherent and burning up because of a fever raging within him. "Come on. Oh God…"

Chad noticed what had suddenly frightened his fiancée's sister too despite his struggle to stifle the blood flow from the knife wound in his stomach by holding his hands over it, as he looked down at his hand and uttered, "His wrist looks to be pretty badly broken and his thumb is dislocated. Not to mention there are bruises and lacerations from being bound around his wrists… his wrist… Your friend only has one hand?"

The Queen despondently answered, "Yes. For as long as I've known him. He's only had one for centuries."

"Centuries?" the doctor questioned softly when he briefly raised his head so he could see into her eyes. "As in… more than a hundred years? You mean he's… another friend from the fairytale world?"

"That's right, honey," Zelena responded when she finally knelt down beside him and her sister, while Henry and Margot were still busy trying to get everyone out because a number of them were too interested in the emergency taking place before them.

Chad thought for moment to try to work it out in his mind who this man might be from the little he knew about fairytale characters in general, until he spoke again saying, "Wait… is this… Captain Hook?"

Zelena looked at him in surprise as she replied, "He is."

"I'll admit, Peter Pan is one of the few stories I do kind of know," he said, sounding about as surprised as she was, then focused again on his task at hand by pushing harder into the wound while Rogers' blood kept seeping out between his fingers. "I have a niece and I might have seen that Disney movie with her when I watched her for my sister once. I'm guessing he's no longer a villain then? Like you and Regina? You know… since you're friends and all."

"He's a good man," Regina answered sadly while she kept her hands on both sides of his face. "I love him like he loves me and yet he doesn't even know who I really am right now because he's still cursed."

At last, they could hear the sound of the ambulance sirens in the distance and Chad lifted his head again to look behind him when the rescue vehicle pulled up outside, then turned back to Rogers as he responded worryingly, "Thank God. This knife wound is deep and he's lost a lot of blood. I don't know how he's still alive, let alone how he made his way here from wherever this might have happened to him."

It was then that Henry and Margot finished clearing everyone out and came over to stand above them while the young man replied, "Rogers survived getting shot and left for dead in an alley before he was finally found supposedly by that mysterious woman from my book. He's too stubborn to die."

"I hope you're right," Regina whispered fearfully as the paramedics entered and rushed to help the injured man lying on the floor in front of them.

"He'll stand a better chance once we get him to the hospital," one of the medics answered when the EMTs quickly pushed their way in and the injured man's friends aside, including Chad despite him being a doctor, then began working to stabilize him before they could lay him on a stretcher and load him into the ambulance. "If we can get him there. Just stay back and let us do our jobs. You can follow behind us in your own car."

The Queen stepped back when Zelena pulled her back with her, but to the medics demands she retorted, "No… I'm staying him."

Zelena turned her sister around to face her as she also whispered, "You have to let them do their job and in order to keep him alive, they need the room to work, Roni. We'll follow after them. I promise. Come on… everything's going to be okay. You'll see."


	2. Chapter 2

Whipping Boy

Chapter Two

Once the paramedics finally lifted the injured man onto their stretcher and loaded him into the ambulance, then started driving to the hospital with the sirens on, Regina, Zelena, and Chad immediately followed in Kelly's car, as she drove her sister, who was too panic stricken and deeply shaken by Rogers' poor state, and her fiancé, who was still covered in their friend's blood since he had begun to keep his hands over his stomach wound in hope of keeping him alive. Henry also followed behind them in his own car, while Margot stayed behind at her mother's and aunt's bar to be there for when the police arrived to ask their questions about what had happened to one of their own.

When Rogers was rushed into the operating room by the doctors who had run out to meet the paramedics as they unloaded the injured man from the ambulance, Regina, Henry, Kelly, and Chad all continued to follow until a few of the nurses stopped them from entering the room after their doctors, then urged them to have a seat in the waiting room while they waited for word on their friend.

Another doctor quickly encouraged Chad to go wash up so he wouldn't frighten the other few people also waiting within the waiting room for their own loved ones, which the doctor from San Francisco complied to, though not before telling the man who he was and that he wanted to help them to save his friend's life. Unfortunately, the doctor refused to let him do so because he was a friend to their patient and told him he had already done what he could, then finally just walked away from him.

A short time later, Chad came back out from the bathroom after he finished washing off Rogers' blood the best he was able to and had changed into a pair of scrubs which the nurses gave to him to wear as well. When he returned to the woman he loved and her sister, as well as their other friend, Regina had just hung up her phone, then she stood up again and anxiously began to pace back and forth in front of them while she hung her head against her hands in frustration.

"Who did your sister just get off the phone with?" Chad quietly asked his fiancée when he came over to sit down beside her and Henry, until the younger man stood up, then finally pulled Regina into his arms to hold and comfort her, knowing how afraid she was for the man he knew she loved.

"She just called Detective Weaver… Rogers' partner," Zelena replied worryingly. "He and Rogers are friends as much as they are partners. And believe me, if you knew anything about their 'true' past, you would understand that them being friends is a pretty big deal. Weaver needs to be here so we can tell him what little we know before the rest of the officers under him begins to speculate what might have happened for themselves."

Upon hearing a little of their conversation, Regina pushed away from her son as she spoke darkly saying, "They can speculate all they want. We both know who's responsible for this. Goth… Eloise Gardener."

Zelena also stood again as she urged her sister to try to stay calm and lower her voice again, then whispered, "I'm sure you're right, Roni. But you can't say this for certain. We have to tread carefully and trust that Weaver will discover the truth about who did this to Rogers."

"Who is this… Eloise?" Chad questioned as he joined the others, then pulled them further away from those around them who had begun to be curious about what little they might be able to make out from their conversation. "And why do you suspect she might have something to do with your friend getting hurt?"

"Eloise Gardener is a dangerous woman who, as hard as it is to believe, is the leader of some kind of cult who all believe themselves to be witches," Henry answered for Regina. "It's crazy, but they undeniably believe it. Sadly, Rogers had been their last victim a little over a month ago. They framed him for murder, kidnapped him, and hurt him pretty badly then too. Did some pretty unspeakable things to him. However, they released him after they poisoned him to get Weaver's help in finding some more of their sister witches. Thankfully, he was finally able to stop them and get the antidote thanks to help from another friend of ours."

Chad looked between Zelena and his friends in disbelief while he uttered, "My God… I can't believe that. That's terrible. How is this woman and her followers not in prison?"

His fiancé sighed in frustration herself, then she responded, "Weaver and the police managed to arrest these witches' accomplices helping them pull off their crimes, but Eloise and the two other women with her unfortunately managed to escape. But now, they're back out breathing free air on account of some scumbag lawyer who is working for her as well. Weaver said he had gotten her out of the charges against her and the others on some gibberish technicalities. Unlawful searches, slander, entrapment, etc.… etc.… It's all ridiculous, yet Weaver hasn't been able to fight against this lawyer on these bogus claims yet. He's far too good. He's a criminal, but he's good at what he does."

"I'm sorry," the doctor from San Francisco replied again while he reached out to take her hands in his own, then pulled Kelly into his arms to hold her as well. "That's terrible. I understand why you think this woman's responsible for what's happened to Detective Rogers now. How long has he been missing? I'm surprised none of you have mentioned that he has been."

"That's because he wasn't missing," Regina answered curtly. "Or at least as far as we knew, he wasn't. He's been out of town for awhile. For a little more than six weeks. After all that happened to him, Rogers left the Heights in the hope some time away would help him to pull himself together again. He was understandably shaken after all that those bitches did to him. We had no idea he was in trouble."

Before they could continue talking, Weaver finally walked in through the hospital wing's doors, then continued walking towards his friends when he saw them standing in the hallway outside of the waiting room and with sincere concern he immediately asked, "How is he? How serious has he been hurt?"

They all looked between him and Regina as she angrily responded, "He's very lucky to still be alive right now. Eloise somehow got her hands on him again because we couldn't protect him!"

"You and I both know you're right, Regina, but until we find out for sure what happened… it's best that we not throw around any false accusations unless we wish to deal with more nonsense from her new lawyer friend," Gold replied more calmly, though his eyes showed his own anger over his partner being hurt again as well. "Now… tell me what happened earlier tonight when Rogers returned to your bar."

"Rogers just stumbled inside and suddenly collapsed no more than a couple of feet from the door," Zelena answered for her sister, before Regina could go off on him again. "He was bleeding heavily from a knife wound in his stomach, which Chad quickly worked to keep pressure on so he wouldn't bleed out. Rogers wasn't cognizant at all, so he couldn't tell us what might have happened to him. His clothes and hair were completely disheveled. Torn. There were a ton more cuts and bruises across his face and body, much like the last time. Burns too. His wrist was broken, his thumb was dislocated, and his prosthetic hand was missing. It was dreadful really."

Gold nodded and then responded, "We can only hope for now that he's strong enough to recover from this attack too. In the meantime, I'll work this case like I did the last time. I'll speak with the detective and officers working the scene at your bar and have them tread carefully. We may get lucky and find a blood trail that may lead us to wherever it was Rogers came from. With as much as you say he was bleeding, I don't doubt that there will be. As for Eloise… we must tread carefully if it was indeed her and her other witches who hurt him this time too. I promise you, Regina… I will do whatever it takes to find out what really happened to him and to take down Eloise once and for all."

The senior detective was about to leave, when one of the doctors working to save his partner stepped out from the operating room, covered in Rogers' blood, then he walked over to them with concern on his face and questioned, "I take it you're all friends of Detective Rogers?"

"He's my partner and yes… he's our friend," Weaver quickly replied as he pulled his badge from his pocket and held it open for the doctor to observe. "How is he?"

"Well… we're far from finished treating him, but I thought I would come out here to let you know that it appears your partner was mugged tonight," the doctor apprehensively continued while he looked between those staring at him as they sought answers.

Chad looked at the man out of suspicion as he crossly retorted, "You're mistaken if that's really your prognosis, doctor. The bruising and lacerations around his right wrist alone points to him having been bound and while I might have been busy trying to keep him alive as I was trying to keep him from bleeding out from the wound in his stomach, I noticed that some of the other wounds…"

The doctor suddenly cut him off as he stated brusquely, "You sound like a doctor. But whether you are, or you're not, you aren't the doctor who is working to try to save that man's life in there and like you said… you were busy trying to keep him from bleeding out. As far as you know, the thugs who mugged your friend probably bound him before they nearly beat him to death. Leave diagnosing his condition to those who know for a certainty what is wrong with him and leave discovering what happened to him to the detective here."

"Just what the hell was that?" Zelena asked angrily upon listening to the other doctor rebuke the man she loved in such an aggressive manner, until he finally just walked away from them again to return to the operating room. "He wouldn't even consider that he might be wrong."

"Because either he's simply incompetent, or he's…" Chad started to explain until Regina cut him off.

She finished for him as she answered, "…he's lying for Eloise and her coven because either she has something on him in order to force him to cover up for her, or he's working for her just like the security guard from the mental ward who helped her to frame Rogers for murder when all of this began."

Weaver nodded in agreement, then turned to Chad again and responded, "Tell me why you feel Rogers wasn't mugged."

"Because for one… the bruising and cuts around his wrist indicate that he had been bound, which isn't typically something muggers do to their victims when they mug them," he sternly replied out of frustration. "They will either just mug them at gunpoint or with a knife to get whatever they're trying to steal, or they'll also attempt to kill them and then run away. I've seen enough patients who were victims of muggings to know what I'm talking about. And second… I might have been busy holding my hands firmly over the knife wound in Rogers' abdomen to try to keep him from bleeding out, but I did also manage to get a look at some of the other wounds too and not all of them were from tonight. Some of them were days old. That's what I was trying to tell that man before he interrupted me. Whatever might have happened to your partner, Weaver… I'm afraid that he was definitely a prisoner to someone while he was beaten over a period of a few days at least."

"I'm so sorry, Roni," he then added sympathetically when he turned to look over at his fiancé's sister again as well. "Look… I will call back the administrators who asked me to return home tonight and tell them I won't be able to make it so that I can be here to help you all figure out what happened to your friend."

Zelena quickly retorted, "But you shouldn't do that. Things here are complicated, Chad. I appreciate that you want to help us help our friend, but you've done that. It's just far too dangerous here right now. I don't want to risk you getting hurt again like you nearly were with Nick a couple of weeks ago."

Chad leaned in to kiss her, then pulled back again and answered, "I'm staying. Whoever did this to Rogers isn't after me and I'm not afraid of them whoever they are. Besides, I trust that you'll protect me if I were to come to be in any danger. You did the last time, didn't you?"

"Are you sure you won't reconsider?" Zelena questioned worryingly.

"I can't, Kelly," he responded. "I might have had it not been for that doctor's misdiagnosis and refusal to even consider that I might be right. But more than that, I want to help you help Rogers. I might not know him, but if he's important to all of you then I would like to get to know him."

Gold looked at the former Wicked Witch's fiancé with surprise at his conviction and then reached out to shake his hand while he spoke again saying, "I have to say, I'm impressed by your fortitude, Mr. Bass. And I want to thank you for wanting to help us save my partner's life. Thank you."

Chad smiled, then replied, "You're welcome. But call me Chad. Mr. Bass makes me sound old."

"Chad then," Weaver answered, then turned back to Regina and Henry again. "I should get going. There's a lot of work to be done. We'll figure this out, Roni."

"Damn right we will," she responded firmly. "We'd better."


	3. Chapter 3

Whipping Boy

Chapter Three

Upon leaving his friends at the hospital to look after his partner for him, Gold drove back into the main area of the neighborhood and parked his car down the street from the pub which the two sisters once again owned together ever since Zelena arrived back within Hyperion Heights. He then walked past the numerous police cars and officers outside to keep back the onlookers who had come to the scene to see what was going on, then entered the establishment and stopped when he came upon the spot where Rogers had clearly fallen, as his blood now stained the floor where Zelena's fiancé had fought to keep him alive until the paramedics arrived some time ago.

One of the officers approached him as he suddenly called out, "Hey! You can't be in here, pal. No one's supposed to…"

The senior detective slowly turned around as he raised his badge up again to show the younger man who he was, then quickly stated, "I'm sorry. I didn't see who you were. Detective Weaver… Sir."

"It's all right," Weaver answered, tucking his badge back into his pants pocket he kept it in, then turned back to the blood pool and knelt down above it to look more closely. "Listen, I need you to talk to whoever's taken charge here for the time being and inform them it's now me who's in charge. Then tell him or her, you all are to be very careful with whatever evidence you might collect because I will be looking it over myself as soon as I'm able."

"What gives you the right to take over my crime scene, Weaver?" the apparent officer currently in charge retorted curtly when he walked up to him after he walked into the room again from the basement below when he saw and heard Weaver giving his officer new orders. "My team and I got here first. Besides, why would a detective care to waste his time on what appears to possibly be a mugging?"

Gold turned around to face their precinct's desk sergeant before him and glared at the man standing up to him, then he brusquely responded, "First of all… this here isn't the crime scene, Sergeant Ryce. The man whose blood this pool belongs to came from someplace else and that… once we find it, will be the crime scene. Secondly… the man whose blood this is, is my partner's, Detective Rogers. He was wounded by an unknown assailant. Quite possibly more than just one. I also believe that he was taken hostage for a least a few days. That's what makes this case mine. And thirdly… never assume what kind of case it is you come across from its initial appearance. Odds are, you're wrong."

Sam sighed in frustration, then replied coldly, "I heard Rogers quit. After what happened to him weeks ago? Not that I blame him for being weak, but…"

"Rogers isn't weak and if I ever hear you, or any other officer or detective try to say so again, you will all regret it," Weaver swiftly answered him angrily before the man could finish expressing his dislike for his partner. "He's a far stronger man than you could ever know and is a better man than you or I could ever be. And he didn't quit. He took some time off to try to clear his head. He's still a detective and my partner. You will respect him as such. Now, I suggest you get out of here and let me do my job, while you do yours. Collect whatever evidence you may find and be very careful with it. Make sure none of those onlookers out there get in here, and see if any of them might have seen anything that might lead us to whoever has done this. Do you understand me… desk sergeant?"

"Perfectly… detective," the sergeant responded crossly, then walked away to do what he was ordered to do, while Gold then saw Tilly staring in at him from outside through the window and quickly ran to catch up with her when she swiftly walked off to get away from the commotion around her.

When he turned down an alley upon seeing the young woman run into it herself, he saw as she kept running until she reached the dead end, then turned around to face her friend while he approached her and called out, "You don't have to run! You don't… Why did you run just now?"

She nervously replied, "Because there were far too many cops back there and a lot of blood. Too much blood. I just didn't want to stick around there. What's happened? Is Roni alright? Henry? Kelly and… Margot?"

"Yes… they're all fine," Gold answered assuredly, then thought of his next words carefully before saying them, knowing how much Tilly had come to care about the man she didn't have any idea was really her father. "However, I'm afraid that Detective Rogers… wasn't so lucky. It appears he's returned to the neighborhood, only some time ago. We just have yet to discover how long ago that was and… Well, he's been hurt very badly and was rushed to the hospital earlier this evening. From the look on your face and since you asked about how the others were faring, I'm guessing you don't have any information about what might have happened to him."

"If I did, I would tell you," Tilly responded in fear for the man who's protected her and has done all he can to help her. "Was is her again? That awful Eloise Gardener and her cult again? Did she do this to him? Please… tell me Rogers is going to be okay."

Weaver looked at her sadly and then replied, "I wish I could tell you for a certainty that he will be and that I know who did this. But I do suspect Eloise is behind it. Have you seen her lately? Do you have any idea where she might be?"

The young woman shook her head as she answered, "No. I mean… I don't know where she is because I haven't found where she or her other witches have set up their new lair for their cult, but… I did see Eloise talking with some man two days ago not too far from here. He's that strange, creepy man who only recently has come into the Heights. The one you suspect killed that serial killer you caught a week ago."

"Baron Samdi," the detective uttered darkly when he realized who she was talking about.

"Yes… him," she quickly confirmed for him. "He and Eloise were talking, but I could only see them together from a distance. I didn't dare get any closer for fear that they'd see me trying to spy on them. I wish now that I had. Maybe… maybe it might have helped Rogers."

Gold shook his head and responded, "What's happened to Rogers isn't your fault in any way, Tilly. Even if they were plotting something together that involved his abduction."

Tilly turned away from him while she spoke again despondently saying, "Rogers gave me the key to his apartment before he left. Did you know that? He left it for me inside my favorite book I kept near the mattress I slept on inside that shipping container before. He must have known _Peter Pan_ was my favorite, since the book is worn and well read."

"I had a feeling it was your favorite book," he replied, understanding that her reason for loving it so much was because it reminded her of her father she didn't know.

"He wrote me a short letter telling me I could stay at his place where I would be safe and warm," Tilly continued. "I really appreciate his kindness. I want to help you find whoever did do this to him, Weaver. I want to help you catch them. But first… I need to go see him."

Weaver nodded, then said, "You'll find him at the hospital. The others are all there with him now. As far as I know, there has been no word on his condition yet. As for you helping me… You already have by telling me about Samdi. I promise to let you know when I need your help again. I don't doubt that I will. Thank you, Tilly."

She smiled at him as she uttered, "You're welcome."

Tilly ran off again, then he returned to the bar. However, before he walked inside, he looked down and his eye caught sight of a smaller pool of blood from the light shining down on it from the streetlight above him. Weaver looked ahead of him and saw there was a trail of what he knew was Rogers' blood. While the others were busy at the bar, Weaver began to follow the blood trail he hoped would lead him to where Rogers had come from.


	4. Chapter 4

Whipping Boy

Chapter Four

Eight years before the dark curse was cast…

Alice awoke early one morning as the sun rose and shined down on her through the leaves of the tree she had climbed and allowed herself to fall asleep in the night before. The young woman smiled as she felt the warmth of the sunshine through the cool breeze surrounding her, then after a few more minutes as she pondered on the overflow of thoughts that entered her head in trying to come up with what she was going to do in the next couple of hours, she at last jumped down from the tree upon deciding she was going to see if the rumors she had heard through the talk from the other rebels outside of their camp were true about her friends, Henry and Jacinda having had their baby yet.

After she took the time to clean herself up at the brook not too far from where she had slept, Alice finally began to run through the forest. She wasn't in a hurry, but running among the trees, and the flowers, and the world she was living in made her happy. At least, about as happy as she could be without being able to be near the one person who mattered most to her in this world. Alice could only hope that her father was also about as happy as he could be without her in his life, knowing just how much it pained him to be separated from her.

Unfortunately, she didn't get far before she was suddenly ambushed by several soldiers who quickly surrounded her on their horses until the men dismounted and pulled their swords as they explained they were under Lady Tremaine's orders to take her in, then demanded she come with them quietly.

"I wouldn't try to fight us, girl," one of the soldiers stated, when Alice swiftly picked up a large stone from the ground and raised it over her head as she prepared to throw it at the man in an attempt to defend herself against them. "That stone in your hand won't help you against five blades."

"Maybe not," the young woman responded curtly. "But it might be satisfying to see it hit you in the head so that you'll stumble backward and possibly fall over. Or at the very least it ought to draw a little blood."

Alice swiftly threw the stone at the last man who had spoken and like she had said, her strike left a large gash over his left brow which she saw when he stood straight against after having attempted to shield himself from being hit. Two more of the soldiers moved in and were about to strike the girl to render her unconscious, when one of them was suddenly run through by someone else's sword from behind him as they all heard someone scream out in anger. The other soldiers spun around to find the pirate who lived among the rebels before them until he immediately began to fight against the remaining men as their swords clashed together in battle.

When their fight began, Hook first worked to gain full attention of the men as he cleared a path for his daughter to get away, then he called out to her shouting, "Alice… run! Now!"

Alice ran out from among the men as though she was about to leave, yet she quickly spun back around and froze in fear when she saw that her father was well outnumbered, then she cried out, "Papa… no! I'm going to help you!"

"You can't!" he shouted again as Alice quickly pulled a dead branch from off one of the trees beside her in order to use it as a weapon to defend her and her father with. "Please… just go!"

Hook swiftly thrust his hook through the chest of the soldier he was currently fighting and pulled a dagger from his belt to throw it into another's back as the man was about to charge at Alice. She immediately backed away to avoid the dead man falling against her, but when she looked towards her father again, she saw as two more soldiers were about to charge her father from behind him and she started to call out a warning to him. Hook managed to turn around just in time to raise his hook and sword again in order to be able to block their blades from killing him, but the two men suddenly shoved him backward and off his feet, causing him to fall back only inches away from where Alice was still standing.

"No!" Alice screamed, when all of a sudden, Hook cried out in pain as the poison in his heart began to activate upon becoming so close to his daughter, which made it impossible for him to raise himself back up from the ground while the agony only worsened until she backed far enough away so he might be alright again. "I'm so sorry, Papa!"

Hook weakly rose to his knees as the remaining soldiers still alive came up again from behind him and grabbed him by his arms despite his struggle to break free from their grasp, then he turned his head towards Alice again while he sternly called out, "Run, Alice! Go now to get help. Please… Aah!"

Knowing she could no longer help him, having realized that by staying to try had only made it possible for the soldiers to capture her father, Alice finally spun around and ran as fast as she could towards the rebel camp in hope that she would find Regina, Henry, and the others so she could get their help to rescue him from Lady Tremaine.

Present day, inside Hyperion Heights Hospital…

Hours passed by and the more time that did, the antsier Regina grew. But she was grateful that Jacinda, Lucy, and Sabine had showed up within that time shortly after Weaver had left so they could also be there with Henry, Zelena, and Chad to show their support and concern for their friend.

It was now quiet in the waiting room and everyone else from the neighborhood who had been there waiting for their own loved ones were now gone, which left the cursed heroes alone as they continued to wait for word on Rogers. Though Regina was the only one to really show her anxiety, the others with her all certainly felt it too.

At last, the silence which had fallen over them was finally broken when Henry stepped outside of the waiting room to get a candy bar from the vending machine across the hall, then turned his head just when Tilly entered the wing and slowly started walking towards him while he motioned to Roni to get her to come over to him as he whispered, "Roni… Tilly's here."

"I'll talk to her," Regina said quietly, then Henry walked back into the waiting room to rejoin the others, while the former Queen walked down the hall to meet up with the young woman she knew was Rogers' daughter. "Hello, Tilly. I take it that you've heard?"

"You mean… that Detective Rogers has returned from wherever he's been the last six weeks, but has done so in such a state which required that he be brought here?" the young woman questioned brusquely. "What happened to him? Just how badly is he hurt? He's going to be alright, isn't he?"

The dark haired woman looked down on her sadly and then answered, "Honestly, we don't know yet. Whether or not he'll be alright, or about all that happened to him. We just know he's in really bad shape."

Tilly groaned in frustration and anger, then she curtly replied, "It was Eloise who did this to him… wasn't it? Our laws suck! If it weren't for all the legal technicalities Weaver claims her so called lawyer brought up so that he can't arrest her any longer, she would be rotting away in prison where she belongs. Eloise and her cult followers. It isn't fair. After all they did to Rogers before? And now they're free to roam around our neighborhood like they never hurt him! It's ridiculous!"

"Believe me, I know," Regina responded sadly. "I completely agree with you. But I promise… Rogers is going to be fine. He always is. Because he's… Well, he's a survivor. He always has been."

"Can I see him yet?" the girl asked again, until she turned and glanced over at everyone still sitting within the waiting room as well. "I guess that's a silly question. No one would be waiting out here if we could see him."

She swiftly hit her forehead with the open palm of her hand as she mumbled, "Stupid. I am so stupid."

The former Queen quickly reached out to grab Tilly's hands to stop her from hitting herself and beating herself up over such a trivial question, then answered, "No… no you're not stupid, Tilly. Listen… Why don't you come and join us as we wait for the doctors to come out to tell us how he's doing."

"I can't," she replied nervously. "I hate waiting. And I hate hospitals. They make me feel like I'm crazy. Being here now is bad enough as it is. It's just that I owe Detective Rogers for being so good to me. He's let me stay in his apartment since he's been gone. I even have my own key. I want to be here, but… No! No… what's she doing here?"

"Eloise Gardener," Regina uttered darkly under her breath upon turning her head to see what suddenly frightened Rogers' daughter when she saw Tilly look towards the entrance and then spotted Mother Gothel as the witch entered the wing as well and started walking towards them. "I don't know. But whatever it is, it can't be good."


	5. Chapter 5

Whipping Boy

Chapter Five

Across town outside one of the neighborhood's oldest apartment buildings, one of Hyperion Heights' newest residents, Drew, leaned over the trunk of his car and pulled a large duffle bag out from it as he set it down on the ground beside him while leaning it up against the vehicle to keep it from toppling over, then he began to clean out the rest of the inside until he was suddenly startled by Weaver when the senior detective approached him from behind him saying coldly, "Just cleaning out your trunk, are we? A bit late isn't it?"

Drew immediately pulled out as he hit his head against the top of the trunk in doing so too quickly, then while he rubbed the back of his head to try to ease the pain, he glared at the man he pretended not to recognize and grumbled, "Excuse me? You'll forgive me for not being in the mood to talk to a complete stranger. I'm busy."

"Yes, I can see that," Weaver replied darkly again and then pulled out his badge to show it to the much younger man so he'd know he was speaking with a detective with the Hyperion Heights Police Department. "We haven't met. But I know who you are, Drew. Or at least… I know enough about you to think you might have something to do with my partner's abduction and the condition he's been found in. That bag you've just pulled from your trunk, it belongs to him. He was carrying it the day he left town six weeks ago. But I don't suspect you abducted my partner of your own volition. I'm willing to wager it was your employer, Baron Samdi who put you up to doing so. Am I right?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Drew retorted curtly as he attempted to pull the bag away from Weaver, until Weaver swiftly shoved him face forward against the trunk and worked to cuff his hands behind his back, then while he held Drew there with him, he leaned into the trunk to see what more the young man was trying to hide. "Come on, man. You can't do this without probable cause."

Gold noticed a few black hairs he suspected came from his partner's head embedded against the fibers of the trunk lining, then in the far corner within the shadows which almost kept him from seeing it, the detective reached in to pick something up and pulled back more carefully than Drew had as he stood tall again.

As he raised Rogers' missing prosthetic hand out to show it to drew while he stared darkly into Drew's eyes, Gold then spoke again saying, "Oh… I think I have more than enough probable cause to look inside your trunk. Even if I couldn't recognize that this bag belonged to my partner, this fake hand most certainly does. This hand proves you had something to do with what's happened to Detective Rogers. But like I said before, it's not you that I want even if you are the one who simply abducted him. I suspect you delivered him to your employer, who had you do so, so he could deliver Rogers to Eloise Gardener. Or as she better known as… Mother Gothel."

Drew looked at the senior detective strangely, then Weaver continued, "Yes, dearie… I am awake just like you are and I know far more than you might think I do. And I suspect you know who I really am too. I'm not just a detective around here, but I'm the Dark One. So you know it's best not to make me angry. I know that Samdi is really Dr. Facilier, or the Shadow Man… a voodoo witchdoctor who deals in very dark magic. I also know you're under his control because of a deal which was made with him long ago, which you couldn't make good on. I suspect you are a good man under this deceptive front you're trying to keep in place, but I really don't appreciate you lying to me in regard to my partner. He isn't just my partner, but the closest person I have to a friend. So tell me… where are Facilier and Gothel? Did Facilier enlist you to kidnap Detective Rogers for them? If you give me the information I seek, I will let you go right now, free and clear. Just give them up."

Drew stared at him for a few moments, then he finally shook his head while he responded sternly, "I can't. I don't know what you're talking about, detective. I had nothing to do with your partner's abduction. I don't know him and I didn't know he was missing, though I'm sorry he's been hurt. Nor do I know anyone by the names of Baron Samdi, Dr. Facil… Facilier, or this Eloise, Gothel woman you spoke of. If you insist on taking me back to the police station… well then, I suppose that's up to you. I'm done speaking."

The detective shook his head in disappointment and then answered, "Very well… on to the police station it is then. We will continue our conversation down there. You're under arrest for the abduction of Detective Rogers and the theft of his belongings."

With this being said, Weaver grabbed hold of his arrestee and pulled him over to his own car, then shoved Drew into the back seat with his hands still cuffed behind his back. Once he was certain the younger man was secure, he went back to his suspect's trunk to pick up Rogers' bag while he carefully placed his partner's prosthetic hand inside of it as well to keep it with the rest of his belongings, then returned to his car. Gold laid the bag in the passenger's seat next to him and then finally drove back to the precinct where he hoped to be able to get some better answers from Drew after making him sweat for a little while first.


	6. Chapter 6

Whipping Boy

Chapter Six

As Gothel along with a few friends of her own approached them, Regina immediately pulled Tilly behind her to keep her protected, while Zelena saw her sister's sudden distress and walked out to stand with Regina, followed closely by Chad and Henry too, just as the former Evil Queen spoke angrily to the witch as she asked, "Just what the hell do you think you're doing here? You're not going to get near him again, Eloise."

Gothel looked straight into Regina's eyes as she grinned and cruelly answered, "I am sorry you haven't been informed yet that your good intentions in protecting my poor husband from me is now entirely misguided, Roni. You needn't continue to do so."

"Your husband?" Regina darkly retorted, while she glared at the evil woman and the other two women she knew from their coven standing with her in disbelief. "You're out of your mind. Rogers would never marry you, especially not after all the pain you've caused him. You framed him for murder, kidnapped and raped him, and God only knows what else you did to him."

"Actually… I'm afraid it is true," the man also standing among them replied confidently as those before them glanced over at the stranger, then Regina turned back to Eloise again when the witch raised her left hand to reveal a gold ring over her proper finger while she smiled at them haughtily. "My client and Detective Rogers are legally wed now as of a few nights ago and Miss. Gardener… I'm sorry… Mrs. Rogers… has the proper paperwork and me here to prove it."

Regina swiftly snatched the papers from the supposed lawyer's hands once he pulled them out from his briefcase so she could look them over for herself, then lifted her head again to continue to glare at Gothel while she angrily responded, "Papers like these can easily be faked if someone knows what they're doing. And you do, seeing as you were once able to manipulate Rogers and convince him and nearly everyone else here in the Heights he was a murderer."

Tilly suddenly spoke out as she stepped out from behind her friend and bar owner saying crossly, "Roni's right. He wouldn't ever marry you, you witch! He doesn't love you, nor could he ever love you. You're evil."

"I'm so sorry you believe that, Tilly," Gothel answered, almost sounding sincere in her apology towards her daughter. "I'm sorry to say you've been led astray by those you see as your friends, just as my husband has been. But I hope to be able to fix that once he wakes up and I know he's going to be alright."

"You'll do no such thing," Henry swiftly replied for Roni before she could retort back herself, and pulled Tilly further away from Eloise again. "You stay away from her. We won't stand for this. Rogers is our friend and we know him well enough to know he would never fall for your lies again. He's smarter than you seem to think he is, Eloise. We'll prove this is just another one of your deceptions."

The lawyer grabbed the papers back from Regina again and handed them over to the doctor who finally walked out from the operating room again so he could see them as well, then stated, "This marriage is real and legally binding."

Regina glared at him and then Gothel once more while Zelena answered, "You'll forgive us for not trusting in a charlatan like you."

"We will find out what's really going on with Detective Weaver's help," the Queen continued darkly. "And we will keep you away from him."

"Actually, if Mrs. Jones here wishes to keep you away from my patient, then she is the one who has the right to," the doctor suddenly replied after he finished skimming through the paperwork and handed the papers back to the lawyer again. "They appear to be the real thing and as my patient's doctor, it's my duty to do what's best for him. That means no one other than his wife, or anyone else she sees fit to allow in to see Detective Rogers will be allowed in his room to see him. And if I have to have a couple of security officers posted outside of his room to keep the rest of you out, I will."

When he walked away again to wait for Eloise to finish getting rid of the others so he could speak to the woman he believed really was married to his patient, Regina suddenly grabbed Gothel by the lapels of her red jacket she was wearing and shoved her back against the wall beside her, while both Henry and Chad stepped in to grab her so they could keep her from doing something she would regret, then she said to the witch angrily, "This won't stand, witch! If it's the last thing I ever do, I will protect him from you even if I have to kill you somehow to do it. You won't get away with this!"

The lawyer pulled out his phone to call the police upon hearing Regina's threat against his client, but Gothel raised her hand up to stop him when she glanced over at him, until she turned back to Regina again while the Queen continued to hold her against the wall, then leaned in close to whisper in her ear so only Regina could hear her as she smugly responded, "I already have, Your Majesty. You should have done more to protect him from me after he left to try to find himself again. When he wakes up, he'll still be our sweet, gentle Rogers. But he'll be confused. He won't have any memory of who he is… cursed or otherwise, who you or anyone else here are… let alone remember just what it is that has happened to him since he's been back in my arms."

"We really are married and there's nothing you can do now to change it," she added more openly when she pushed the dark haired woman away from her and continued to grin coldly at her. "He's mine now. Even if I have to accept him without him being his true self until he remembers who he really is. So… I suggest you leave me and my husband in peace, or I will allow my lawyer to call the police to have you removed from this wing. Don't worry, I will take good care of him. I promise."

"This isn't over," Regina brusquely answered while she kept her eyes on the vile woman and followed Zelena and Chad as the heroes all began to leave the hospital. "Not by a long shot!"

Finally, she spun around and stormed out much against her will, leaving Gothel alone to stay with Rogers as much as it terrified her to do so, knowing that she didn't have any choice right then but to comply with her demands because of the witch's false marriage to the man she loved.

Once they were all outside, Zelena turned back to her sister again while she spoke sternly saying, "I realize how angry you are, Roni, but threatening to kill that woman in there as much as she deserves it was a foolish thing to do."

Henry shrugged and replied, "We were about to get thrown out of there anyway. If you ask me, she deserved more than just a threat."

"How can she possibly get away with this after whatever it was she might have done to your friend before?" Chad questioned in concern while he and his new friends all walked over to their cars. "And how do you explain Rogers marrying her if the marriage is indeed real and legally binding?"

"If it is real, then Rogers must have been drugged again," Tilly responded worryingly as she stood further away from everyone. "Just like she had done in order to get Rogers to kill that doctor from the psycho ward… where that crazy woman belongs herself, along with those other women and that shoddy lawyer."

Roni turned to the young woman and nodded in agreement, then answered, "Tilly has to be right. Rogers would never marry her in his right mind, or even when he wasn't in his right mind. She's done something much worse."

Sabine spoke up as she asked, "Do you suppose that whatever it is has something to do with what Eloise meant before when she said something about how she must accept him without him being his true self until he remembers who he really is? How else would she know he doesn't remember anything if it turns out to be true? Wouldn't that be an admittance she's responsible for his condition?"

"Unfortunately, it could mean a number of things," Chad replied in frustration when he looked between those around him who were becoming his friends the more he got to know his fiancée. "But if you'd like, I can see what I can do about going over his doctor's head to see if I can take over, based on the man's incompetence and refusal to even listen to the possibility that Rogers could have been kidnapped and not mugged. It's a long shot, but…"

"Just do whatever you can," Regina responded before he could go on, while she pulled her cell phone from her pocket so she could make a call. "I'm going to go see if I can't find Weaver to let him know what's happened and to see if there's anything he can do on his end. I'll walk. Zelena… if you could head back to the bar and see to whatever investigation might still be going on there, I'd appreciate it. Let Margot know she can head home. And the rest of you… you should all head home too and try to get some sleep. It's late. It's really late."

However, Tilly spoke out again as she stated, "I'm coming with you, Roni. I want to talk to Weaver too. I won't sleep knowing that my closest friend here in this crummy world is in such danger. I'm staying in his apartment. I have to do more to help him. Please…"

Regina looked at Rogers' daughter sadly and then answered, "Of course you can come with me. You and Weaver have an understanding as much as I have with him. And you've proved you're clever when it comes to gathering the information that's difficult to find. We'll head to the precinct first. It's usually where he spends most of his time."

While everyone else started to leave as they got into their cars, and as Regina and Tilly started to walk down the street towards the police station, Henry quickly turned to Jacinda and Lucy to tell them he would be right with them, then swiftly ran back towards Roni again as he called out, "Roni! Wait!"

"Henry… you should go home too," his mother whispered to him despondently once he reached her, while Tilly stepped away so they could talk more privately. "Or go be with Jacinda and Lucy. I'm sure they will want to talk."

"I know, but first… I wanted to make sure that you're alright," he replied worryingly. "I mean… You love Rogers. I can't even begin to imagine how much you must be hurting right now, seeing him suffer like that all over again. Especially because of the same woman who hurt him before. And now you can't even be in there with him. Are you okay?"

Regina glanced towards Rogers' daughter again, until she turned back to her son and fearfully responded, "No. No, I'm not okay. You saw me in the hospital, Henry. I was ready to kill that woman. I wouldn't, but I want to. And what's worse is that she was right about one thing. I should have made sure Rogers was alright too while he was out there… somewhere trying to pull himself back together. Weaver and I should have protected him and now he's in worse shape than he was before. I know that Eloise is to blame for his suffering now, but she isn't the only one. Oh God, Henry… Why didn't I tell him how I felt and begged him to stay?"

Henry pulled the woman he didn't know was his mother into his arms and held her in an embrace to try to comfort her the little he could when she began to break down, then he whispered, "Everything is going to be all right, Roni. Rogers is going to be alright. We'll get to the bottom of what that woman's done to him and we'll stop her this time so she won't ever be able to hurt him again."

Regina allowed for her son to comfort her despite her struggle in knowing she couldn't blurt out that he was more to her than just the friend he was acting as in that moment between them. Then, through her tears that had begun to fall, she turned her eyes on Tilly again and when she saw the fear for her father in them even though the young woman had no idea why she was so close to Rogers too, her mind drifted back to the evening she shared with Hook the day Alice had come to him in the belief that the poison within his heart had been cured so they could finally be together again, only to discover it was a lie which nearly killed him. Regina had cared for him that night after Alice took off and Henry and Ella had gone after her. She longed to be able to do so again now.

Years ago within the Enchanted Forest…

Once Hook's daughter ran, and her son took off with Ella to chase after her, Regina struggled to help the man she had yet to realize she loved, as they really had only begun to get to know one another, into one of the tents within their camp so she could help him when the poison in his heart flared up at the moment of Alice's touch when they had embraced a short time ago.

"I have… have to go af… after her," he said weakly while he struggled to rise back up from the pile of blankets she laid him down in once they were inside. "I have to assure Alice I'm… Aah! Please…"

"Don't worry about Alice, Hook," Regina whispered sadly as she pushed him back down and helped him to settle back into the blankets, then laid another one over his body to try to make him as comfortable as she could despite his agony caused by the pain in his heart. "Henry and Ella went after her. They'll find her and reassure your daughter you're going to be okay. Because you will be."

Hook nodded his head the best he could while he closed his eyes against the pain in his chest, then he answered frailly, "Maybe, but… for how long? I'm afraid I won't ever fin… find the cure, so this poison will kill me eventually, Your Majesty. Because I won't… I won't ever give up trying to be with her. I can't. Earlier, when you told me the tow… tower was destroyed… I feared she was dead and my heart… it hurt worse than it does now. She's all I have in this world and it's my fault… my fault Gothel was able to tear us apart. My damn pride… pride."

When he slowly began to lose consciousness, Regina gently laid her hand over his right cheek and coaxed him to stay with her as she softly replied, "Hey… stay with me, Hook. You're going to be fine. Tell me how Gothel did this to you. Why are you blaming yourself for this?"

"One night… years ago, my daughter had a nightmare," he responded sadly while she started to minister to him after she stepped away from him for a moment in order to fill a basin with water drawn earlier from the river nearby, then she returned to wipe the sweat from his forehead, neck, and chest when she could feel that a fever was slowly beginning to rise within him. "I tried to reassure her… that that's all it was. Just a nightmare. However, she was afraid for me. She saw me die trying to protect her from her mother. And I sensed her nightmare was something more too. So, I… I told her I was leaving for a couple of days to… to find a weapon I'd heard of… which could help me break her from the tower. And I told her I wouldn't stray from my quest. But I did. Someone spoke against my reputation as the dreaded pirate captain I had been and while I knew I had no honor… I was compelled to try to defend it. I fought in a pistol duel against the man who spoke against me. I won, but we were both shot. He died from his wound, while his bullet only struck me in my arm."

"I returned to the tower and embraced my daughter… and I was suddenly forced back into the wall behind me the moment we touched and my heart… my heart was on fire," he weakly continued after he had trailed off a moment to breathe through his pain, as Regina believed he had finally lost his battle against it. "Gothel poisoned the bullet so it would spread into my heart. You see… it's my fault. Alice trust… trusted me. Depended on me and I let… I let her down."

The Queen laid a fresh damp cloth over his brow as she tried to soothe him when she answered, "I'm so sorry. You made a mistake, Hook, but it was Gothel who did this to you and your daughter. Alice knows what really happened and she doesn't blame you. She loves you very much. Why else would she have come here today to see you? She was so happy to see you. And so afraid when you suddenly became hurt. If she believed you let her down, do you honestly believe she would have cared so much to come here when she was told you both had been cured?"

When he didn't say anything more, she shook him gently while she whispered, "Hook?"

It was then she found he had finally lost conscious, so she continued to treat him until he eventually awakened again a few hours later and pulled the blanket draped over him away in another attempt to rise. However, Regina quickly returned to his side and helped him to sit up a little more, which was when Henry and Ella entered the tent upon their own return from Wonderland.

 _"Mom," her son uttered in seeing her face first, until he looked down sadly upon his friend he could see had become fairly ill because of the poison in his heart._

 _"Hey," Regina quietly replied when he and Ella slowly walked towards them._

 _Hook struggled to look up at her son while he asked weakly, "Henry… Henry, lad… Did you find Alice?"_

 _The younger man responded assuredly, "We did._ _She wants you to know_ _that she was just trying to protect you._ _Drizella tricked her into_ _thinking that she was cured."_

 _"Why would she do that?" the Queen asked in confusion over Drizella's motives._

 _"So she could poison my heart," Henry answered his mother worryingly._

 _She looked down and saw him holding Ella's hand in his own and became assured that her son was still alright, then out of relief she gratefully replied, "I'm glad to see she failed."_

 _Finally, Ella spoke again to their friend tenderly while she and Henry knelt down in front of him saying, "Um, Hook… Alice wanted us to give you this."_

 _"It's the White Knight," Hook responded frailly while he took the white horse from his daughter's chess set which he had given to her long ago while she had still been trapped in the tower in which they had once lived._ _"_ _I gave her this to remember me by."_

 _"She said she doesn't need a reminder," Ella continued with assurance to try to offer him some comfort in his pain. "You two will be together again._ _She knows you'll find the real cure."_

 _The Captain breathed out heavily while he agonizingly answered, "It was worth it._ _I'd go through that pain a thousand times over_ _just to see her again."_

 _When he closed his eyes again and continued to breathe heavily as he struggled against the pain his heart, he pulled the knight in against his chest and held it tightly in his hand close to his heart. Henry and Ella stood again, then Regina smiled up at them before she returned to tending to his fever._

Back in the present once more…

Regina at last stood straight again when she finally pulled away from Henry after she returned her mind to the present, then she wiped away the tears in her eyes before she turned back to her son and to Tilly as well, as she stated, "I'm sorry. I'm not really sure why I drifted off like that. I didn't mean to…"

"Hey…" Henry quickly replied when she trailed off after she had spoken. "It's okay. This is rough for all of us."

"But we're going to fix this," Tilly responded strongly, as Regina and Henry could see the anger over what Rogers was suffering because of Eloise in her eyes. "We have to. So come on… We need to find Weaver."


	7. Chapter 7

Whipping Boy

Chapter Seven

Forty-five minutes after Weaver had brought the man whom he knew was trapped under Dr. Facilier's control into the station once he was placed under arrest, the senior detective returned to the interrogation room he left Drew in still carrying Rogers' bag, and as he did, Drew glared up at him while he grumbled, "It's about time. If you left me in here this long hoping that I'd fret more about whatever petty crime it is you're trying to pin on me, then you've wasted your time as well as mine."

Weaver took a seat in the metal chair across from him, then reached across the table to undo the cuffs around his suspect's wrists as he responded, "I didn't leave you in here for so long because I felt like it. I had something important to do in regard to the… 'petty crime', as you call it. A crime that is hardly petty, but far more serious than you seem to realize. Like I told you, my partner was kidnapped and beaten, and possibly left for dead. We don't know much more detail than that. Thankfully, he has been found and he's now fighting for his life. I will ask you once more… What is your involvement in his abduction? I found Rogers' bag and his prosthetic hand in the trunk of your car. How did they wind up there if you still claim you had nothing to do with what's happened to him?"

"I found them, all right?" Drew replied curtly, then turned away to stare at the wall next to him in order to avoid the darkness he had seen earlier, as well as seconds ago, in the Dark One's eyes. "In a dumpster down the street from some bar where I got a drink at with an old friend earlier tonight before I had to leave. Her name is Sabine. She's my business partner. You can ask her if you're looking for an alibi. Whoever really kidnapped your partner, must have dumped his things there."

"Unfortunately for you, the time you will need to have an alibi for wasn't for any time tonight," Weaver said more crossly. "We have yet to establish when it was that Rogers was abducted. It was at least a few days ago. But tell me… why would a healthy, steady young man such as yourself be dumpster diving?"

Drew looked over at him again as he answered, "It's not like it's stealing once something's been thrown out? I happened to see that bag sticking out and my curiosity was peaked. I pulled it out and shuffled through the things inside. I found a few things that were of value. Some things I could sell off to make some extra money. A few gold coins which looked pretty rare… and that prosthetic hand I had no idea belonged to your partner because like I said, I do not know the man. When you came up on me earlier, I was just getting the things out of my trunk so that I'd be able to bring the bag inside and go through it more closely, then I planned to dump out again what I couldn't use. Running a food truck even if it is the most successful food truck in the Heights, doesn't pay as well as you might think. Even if you have a brilliant partner working alongside you. Oh… and you probably found that hand still inside my trunk because it must have fallen out of the bag when I lifted it out."

Gold shook his head as he could tell that the man was lying to him, but he ignored this for now while he crossed his arms and questioned, "How do you explain the few strands of black hairs I found in your trunk as well? It will take some time before the forensics of the hairs are analyzed, but I'm willing to wager that they belong to Detective Rogers."

"I can't explain them," his suspect responded curtly. "They could be years old."

"Indeed," the detective replied in frustration, then pulled a sealed evidence bag containing a bloody knife from his partner's bag and dropped it on the table in front of him as he suddenly slammed his hand down on top of it in anger. "This knife is evidence of one of the deadlier of wounds inflicted upon my friend. It's still coated in his blood. Why am I showing this to you? Because… a few hours ago, Rogers stumbled into the very bar you say you visited earlier this evening. A bar which is owned and run by a few more of my friends. Our friends. I went there as soon as I received the call my partner had been hurt, then followed a blood trail which Rogers left behind at the bar to where it was he had been wounded by this knife. It appears he walked a pretty good distance despite the wound you see. And when the trail finally ended, I came upon another body. The body of a man I suspect had tried to recapture my partner after I believe Rogers managed to escape from the rest of his abductors. I've no doubt that the evidence left behind on this knife, by the body, and the crime scene where the knife and body were found… will tell me that I'm right. That Detective Rogers escaped from where he was being held prisoner, followed, and then was attacked by the man whose body is now in the morgue. That a fight had broken out between them until both he and my partner were wounded and one managed to keep going. I'm just grateful Rogers won."

Drew shrugged at him, then retorted, "That's a great story, but you've failed to explain what it has to do with me. Seeing as I'm here, in perfect condition, and not lying dead in your morgue… it's pretty clear I'm not your partner's attacker. I don't know anything."

Weaver looked him square in the eye as he then asked again, "Did you have anything to do with the condition my partner is currently in now?"

"No," the younger man answered simply, while the detective read his eyes to see if there was any deception in them this time.

"Now that is the only answer coming from you so far I believe," Gold responded when he saw the truth in his suspect's eyes for the first time since they had started speaking. "Rogers will wake up and once he's able to tell us what happened to him, we will see if you're telling the truth about the rest of this story you've spun."

When Weaver stared at him coldly for a few more minutes without saying so much as another word, then finally picked up the knife as he stood to leave the room, Drew let out a sigh in frustration and regretfully replied, "Look… I'm sorry about what happened to him. I am. I did lie to you before when I said I didn't know Samdi, or who you really are. I am awake, just like you are… Dark One. Samdi is really Dr. Facilier and if you know him, then you know that I had no choice but to do as he said. I owe him a debt because Facilier holds my life in his hands in accordance with a contract he has with Sabine… Princess Tiana, who begged him to save me some time ago. But that doesn't matter. What does, is that he ordered me to abduct Detective Rogers when he learned your partner had returned to Hyperion Heights from his sabbatical. I don't know how, or why he cared. But… I used a taser to render your partner unconscious, then dragged him to my car, where I shoved him into my trunk. I don't know who this Gothel, or Eloise woman you spoke of earlier is other than that she's the witch who cast the curse over everyone here, but if you believe she's responsible for what happened to Rogers… then Facilier delivered him to her, not me. All I ask for in exchange for this information is protection. From him. You know as well as I do what happens to those who fall into debt with that witchdoctor. I suspect you already know about Jack… or Hansel that is?"

Gold replied, "I do. Call me if you hear whether your employer or Gothel have further plans for Rogers. As for protection, I'll do what I can to keep you safe. Though, even I have no power here. Which is why it's best if I release you so you can continue on with whatever Facilier needs of you. Hopefully, he won't ever know I brought you in, but I suspect you are still of some use to him either way."

"Thank you," Drew stated as he stood again to leave.

"Just be careful," Gold answered.


	8. Chapter 8

Whipping Boy

Chapter Eight

At the hospital…

"All right… I've fulfilled my end of the deal you made with Facilier," the lawyer whose help Gothel enlisted through the voodoo doctor stated in frustration when he turned to the woman his employer had entered into an arrangement with, as she turned to face him too after she encouraged her two sisters to leave them alone for now. "I forged you the perfect marriage papers, along with the detective's signature to make it appear he gave his consent. As far as the doctors, the cops, the pirate's own partner, or the rest of the heroes here know, including your 'new husband' himself, they're legit just like you asked. What do you have for him?"

"Facilier understands that getting the dagger away from Weaver is going to take time and much more effort than simply using his partner to convince him to hand it over," the evil tree nymph replied, though she reached inside her coat pocket and pulled out a small vial, then handed it over to him. "But you did as was asked of you. So… in exchange for your help, I offer you the elixir that will heal the burns across your true face. Like you hoped to earn from Facilier all these years. Once I do get you the dagger to give to him, it will then earn you your freedom from his services as well. I hope this will help me earn your trust so you and I might continue to work with one another more willingly."

The man looked at the woman before him with suspicion, until he finally unstopped the cork of the vial, then drank the potion down and he could immediately feel the effects of the witch's magic work as it healed the burns which he concealed beneath the glamor spell by use of Dr. Facilier's magic he placed over him years ago, long before the curse was cast.

He let out a sigh of relief and waited for the potion to finish as it continued by stripping him of his false identity as well, then while she kept her eyes on him, Gothel asked, "How do you feel now?"

Once he finally became his true self again at last, he quickly looked over his hands which he then reached up to his face to feel the smoothness of his skin despite the scruff of the facial hair covering his chin and upper lip, until the witch held up a small mirror for him to be able to observe his appearance within the glass, he finally turned back to Gothel again and smiled while he answered, "Please… call me Sidney. Sidney Glass. I may still be trapped under Facilier's contract I made with him shortly I left Storybrooke to help me get away from the Evil Queen, but I am still a free man. I won't be a genie for anyone again. However, that doesn't mean I wouldn't rather work for you while we're all stuck here. I really enjoyed seeing the look on Regina's face when you told her the man she loves belongs to you now. So… if you need me for anything more, I will see what I can do. I pride myself in my work. I hope the marriage certificate and the rest of the paperwork is to your satisfactory, madam. I'll be seeing you again."

"No doubt," the evil woman responded and watched while Sidney left the hospital, then turned around to walk inside the private room in which the doctors just finished moving Rogers into while she and the man once in Regina's magic mirror had been talking.

"Your husband is in pretty bad shape, Mrs. Rogers," the doctor who had spoken to the heroes earlier said in concern once she entered, then stood up straight again after he finished adjusting the breathing tube now inserted down Rogers' throat in order to help keep him alive and the tubes running from his body to the beeping machine beside his bed which now measured his vitals. "I know you know this, but… Please just don't do anything that might hurt him anymore than you already have. You may be blackmailing me so that I will lie to his friends and his partner about his condition, but I am still his doctor and his welfare comes first. If you threaten to reveal the truth about my responsibility in the death of one of my former patients so that I will do any more than that… so be it. What happened before was an accident and while I don't want to lose my career, which I would if you told my administrators that I gave my patient the wrong medication, I will do the best I can to keep Detective Rogers alive so long as he's in my care."

Gothel reached down as she began to trace her fingers along the contours of the left side of Rogers' face and through his hair, then she looked up at the man now in a clean white coat standing across from her while she replied, "Try not to worry too much, doctor. He won't be in your care for much longer. You might like to know that you weren't completely lying about what happened to him. He was mugged in a way. Rest assured that the wound in his abdomen was not something which was meant to happen. Our games simply got away from us. I'll be more cautious with making sure something like this won't happen to my poor husband again once he's back home with me. Now leave the room so I can be alone with him."

The man sighed, then finally left as she demanded. Gothel took a seat in the chair at Rogers' bedside, continuing to stroke her fingers through his hair until she raised her other hand and suddenly blew what appeared to be pollen from a flower into his face. Once the magic of her own creation settled as it entered his body through his nose and mouth, the tree nymph laid her hand against his left temple and worked carefully to extract all wisps of his memories he had gained since becoming Rogers so that when he awakened, he wouldn't remember his cursed persona any more than he remembered his true identity either. He wouldn't remember he was ever a detective, or that he had become close friends with his partner, the Queen who now was nothing more than a bar owner and bartender, the young man who had lost his belief in all things magical, and the girl he failed to see was truly his daughter.

When she finished, Gothel leaned down to kiss his lips to help ease the pain she could see the extraction had caused him from his eyes being scrunched even tighter than before and in the distressed lines across his face, then she spoke quietly and coolly to him saying, "You can relax again. I've finished. This could have been much easier for you had you not been so irritably stubborn. And you never would have wound up here in this hospital with a knife wound in your stomach. But then you always have been since that night we met all those years ago."

The witch pulled back the blanket covering his body, as well as the bandages covering the wound so she could see it for herself, then she continued darkly, "Captain Hook, or Detective Rogers… you're still just as defiant as ever. But now, you won't remember being either of them any longer. I told you before I would snuff out the quality which makes you the white knight whom the rest of the heroes see in you so that we can be together. And now I have at last. You are mine now."


	9. Chapter 9

Whipping Boy

Chapter Nine

Regina and Tilly arrived at the police station as Drew was leaving after Weaver released him once the detective finished interrogating him. The Queen's eyes briefly met his as they passed on the stairs, but he swiftly ran off before she could attempt to speak to him, knowing she knew who he was through Facilier and now Samdi since their paths crossed a few times. Drew knew she knew he worked for the witchdoctor and he wasn't in the mood to be interrogated by the former Evil Queen about his involvement in Rogers' abduction as well, mostly on account of it being nearly two o'clock in the morning.

"Roni… is everything okay?" Tilly finally asked the bar owner when Regina froze and stared at the man who just ran past them until he disappeared, then glanced towards the young woman with her when she spoke.

"Yeah… I'm sorry," Roni answered quickly responded when her attention was returned to their task at hand. "I thought I recognized that man who ran past us just now. I was wrong."

Tilly shrugged while she continued to follow after her friend, and replied, "I've seen that man around. In a few places actually. But like with everyone else, he's never seemed to notice me. I really hope Weaver's still here. He wouldn't just go home because of the lateness of the hour when Rogers is in this kind of trouble… would he?"

The two women arrived at the office where he and Rogers always worked and found he wasn't there, so Regina continued to lead Tilly through the precinct as she answered, "Not a chance. He's as much of a friend to Rogers as the rest of us. Plus… he's his partner. Cops usually take their partners getting hurt personally."

"Weaver!" she called out when they arrived outside of the door to his evidence locker and then banged on it a few times before the detective finally opened the door to them, as Regina suddenly pushed her way inside. "We have to talk and this can't wait."

"What's happened?" he questioned in concern upon recognizing the fearful look in her eyes. "Is Rogers…?"

Regina cut him off before he could finish as she interrupted, "Eloise Gardener is what happened. She and her coven arrived at the hospital along with some lawyer. She claimed she and Rogers are married."

Gold looked into her eyes for any sign she might be mistaken, then responded, "Rogers would never marry Eloise after all she's put him through, or even beforehand."

"That's exactly what I said," Tilly replied worryingly, then quickly apologized for talking out. "Sorry."

"We all know Rogers wouldn't agree to this," the senior detective said while he returned to the personal effects he collected from the dead man found earlier that evening along with the knife Rogers had used to kill him as he defended himself against the man's attack. "She's up to some new scheme."

The Queen answered crossly, "She has forged papers from her lawyer good enough to fool the doctors. We've all been kicked out and banned from Rogers so long as he remains in that hospital. But it's worse than that. Eloise taunted me by saying something's happened to his memory. She's done more to him than just had him beaten and whatever else for however long she's had him, Weaver. When he wakes up, he won't be able to defend himself. You have to do something. Just what the hell are you doing anyway?"

Gold picked up the bloody knife still inside its evidence bag to hold it out to her while he responded, "At least Rogers was able to defend himself against one of those responsible for his grave condition, and now the man's lying dead here in the precinct's morgue. I followed a blood trail left behind from when Rogers made his way back to your bar, and found the man who wounded him with this knife. Thankfully, Rogers fought back. The rest of these effects belonged to his attacker. I'm hoping something might lead us to more proof Eloise is behind all this. So far…"

"The proof doesn't matter so much as it does to get that woman away from him so she can't hurt him any longer," Tilly curtly interrupted before he continue. "You know as well as I do that she did all those God awful things to him when she kidnapped him before and yet you say you can't lock her away because of a lousy technicality? Look at what she's done to him now! How is this protecting him?!"

"Tilly… I know this is hard for you to…" the detective started to reply in worry until she suddenly stormed out, then he turned his head to look over at Regina. "I don't blame her for being angry with me. She's right. If this was Storybrooke and those of us from the Land of Magic were all who lived here, I wouldn't care about the laws of this world. But now I must follow them because we are a part of the Land Without Magic and we live among those who know nothing about who we really are. I can't even fall back on my old tricks I used to outsmart all of you before I brought back magic to Storybrooke."

Regina leaned across the table as she reached out to grab Gold's hand, then she asked curtly, "Why not? Gold… you aren't the corrupt cop you first were after this curse swept over us thanks to what Gothel made you, but she's playing dirty and the only way to stop her is to play dirty back. Don't be a corrupt cop or a good cop. Just be Rogers' partner and do whatever it takes to protect him from her."

The former Dark One looked at her as he remembered back to a conversation between him and Rogers and answered, "On the morning I released Victoria from jail after Rogers had her arrested for her role in Eloise's abduction, I did what I had to do to get her to reveal to me what she knew about the Guardian, which wasn't as useful as I hoped. My point is… I manipulated the system in order to help her and Rogers wasn't too thrilled. But then we hadn't established an understanding yet."

A couple of weeks ago…

 _Weaver walked out of the station that morning to his partner arguing with Victoria after he had released her, as he overheard Rogers asking her angrily, "_ _I asked how you managed to sidestep your charges."_

 _"I'm afraid that honor goes to you," the senior detective taciturnly responded in regret in order to keep his friend from interfering with his plans, before Victoria could say more. "You failed to get a warrant."_

 _"I had exigent circumstance," Rogers replied as he stepped around the car and walked towards his partner. "There was immediate danger."_

 _Weaver stated briskly, "Judge didn't see it that way."_

 _The younger man glared at him while he retorted angrily, "Don't you mean you made certain he didn't? You dress it up any way you want. I know you're getting something out of this arrangement. Come clean with it now, or I'll go dig it up myself."_

 _"I'd advise against that, Detective," he answered with reluctance, hating to have to keep Rogers in the dark. "Or has ignoring me not done enough damage already?"_

Present…

"I walked away from Rogers and ignored him the rest of the day while I allowed Victoria use me to get what she wanted, allowing for her to put Lucy into her coma so she could awaken Anastasia," Gold continued to explain himself. "He confronted me again later that night and despite my constant efforts to keep him in the dark about my business and the truth about Eloise… Rogers refused to stand for it any longer and forced me to tell him a partial truth about my reasons for doing as I did that day, and since I lost Belle. I told him I was doing everything to get back to her. And he believed me. Since then, he's trusted in me to be his partner and to watch his back. All he wanted was to help me. You're right, Regina. I had almost forgotten. I found a way to bend the rules then for my own needs. I'll do what I have to do for his now too."

She finally spoke again as she responded, "I hope you have some ideas on how we do that?"

Weaver looked into her eyes and then replied, "Not just yet, but we'll figure something out. It's also time we finally do as we should have done once you and I remembered who we really were. We need to awaken Hook. However, first we need to awaken Rogers too. It might be the only way we can save him from Gothel once and for all."


	10. Chapter 10

Whipping Boy

Chapter Ten

In the New Enchanted Forest…

After Alice had run from where she and her father fought with Lady Tremaine's guards upon hearing him plea for her to save herself, she reluctantly continued running through the forest towards the rebel camp as fast as she was able to so she could find help from their friends to save him, only stopping for the littlest time possible to get her breathing under control again before she kept moving onward. She was nearly there when all of sudden, Rumplestiltskin appeared right in front of her in a red smoke cloud, causing her to run right into the Dark One she'd grown to trust some time ago and to fall roughly to the ground.

"Bloody hell!" she cursed in frustration when she struggled to regain her senses, then glared up at the man who knocked her off her feet. "Watch where you're poofing yourself! How many people am I going to run into before I get to where I'm going?!"

"You really are your father's daughter," Gold responded upon hearing her curse as Hook always did, while he reached down to take her hands so he could help Alice stand again. "I'm sorry. Just where are you trying to go?"

She worked to brush off the dirt from her long red skirt, until she suddenly remembered why she had been running as she cried out, "Papa! He's been captured… by uh… by Lady Tremaine's soldiers. He was trying to protect me from them, but we were outnumbered. Papa cleared the way so I could run and now…"

Rumple finally cut her off as he tried to calm her by saying, "Take it easy, Alice. I take it you're trying to get to the rebel camp to find Regina and Henry then?"

"I have to save him," Alice answered fearfully, then continued walking on towards the camp as fast as she could while the Dark One kept up with her. "What was he even doing out here? He should have been safe."

"Your father was most likely away from the safety of their camp so he could make sure you were alright," he despondently replied. "I doubt he knows I know this, but he does so about as often as you sneak around in order to look in on him too. More so. He hates that you're out here in the forest all alone and unprotected."

She stopped again just as the camp came into view at the bottom of the hill on which they stood, then turned to face her friend while she responded pleadingly, "Help me? Please… help me save him. I'll go down to get the rest of our friends' help, then we can all charge into Tremaine Manor and demand that Lady Tremaine release my father."

Rumple answered, "I doubt getting Hook back will be that easy. But go down and to inform the others that your father's been taken. I'll go see if there's something I can find which might help us."

"Alice?" Regina called out when the former Queen suddenly appeared before them upon leaving the camp herself, surprised to see the girl and her old friend there. "Gold? What are you both doing here?"

"Oh… Thank goodness you're here," Alice quickly uttered as she rushed towards the dark haired woman and worryingly embraced her, while Regina wrapped her arms around her in return with concern upon seeing the fear in the young woman's eyes. "My father's been captured. By Lady Tremaine's soldiers because he was protecting me. I need your help to save him."

Regina struggled to push down her own fear for the man she loved so she could try to comfort Hook's daughter, as she pulled Alice back so she could look into her eyes and steadfastly replied, "We will. Okay? I promise… we'll find where they've taken him to and we'll get him back. I was just coming out to find him myself. Hook left early so he could look in on you and make sure you were okay, but he's been gone longer than he said he would be. Come on, let's go talk with Henry, Ella, and Tiana. We can come up with a plan. Gold… are you coming?"

Gold raised his hand as he prepared to vanish from among them while he responded, "I'll be back shortly."

"He'll be back," Alice stated to the woman her father loved when Regina let out a sigh of frustration after the Dark One disappeared without explaining himself. "He probably won't ever admit it, but he and my father are closer friends than either of them thought was possible."

A short time later, at Tremaine Manor…

The remaining soldiers who had survived their swordfight against the one handed pirate and apprehended him, bound his wrist and hook together by thick rope to keep him from attacking them again, pulled their prisoner along between them as they made their way back to their Lady's manor, then brought Hook before the woman whose orders they blindly followed ever since their Prince's death at the royal ball, not knowing it was actually Lady Tremaine who had killed him.

"What is this?" the Courtier called out to the men crossly when the royal guards dragged Hook in and then forced him to his knees before her. "I ordered you to bring me the girl from Wonderland. Not this buffoon you dragged here before me instead. I even told you where to find the girl. What happened?"

While the others held their prisoner down by his arms and shoulders, one of the guards stepped forward as he answered, "Forgive us, My Lady. But this pirate interfered when we attempted to apprehend the girl. He fought us all and killed the rest of our men so she could escape."

Lady Tremaine glared down at the man on his knees before her and pointed the tip of her stolen fairy wand against the bottom of his chin to force his head up to get him to look at her as well, then she said callously, "Well… I expected that the last time I would see you was when I did you a favor and made you young again with this very wand so you could run off with another man's woman."

"What can I say?" Hook replied while he continued to look up at the villainess. "I've since had a change of heart. Good friends reminded me I was better than that weak minded fool I had become. They gave me my life back."

"And I can take it away again," she retorted cruelly and forced the wand up harder beneath his chin, causing Hook to wince in pain. "You failed to rid this realm of the boy who fell in love with my stepdaughter as you promised and you thwarted my men. Tell me… why would you risk your life to save the girl's. Or is it that she means something to you?"

When the Captain didn't answer her, another of the soldiers responded, "The girl kept calling him 'Papa' while we fought. She attempted to help him too, but he finally convinced her to run for help."

Tremaine looked down at Hook again with surprise as she uttered, "Papa'? Is that so? So that's the real reason why you came to me for help before. Why did you need to become young again to be able to pass yourself off as that other one handed pirate? So you could steal his love in order to be reunited with your daughter?"

"Answer me!" she demanded angrily when her prisoner still refused to comply, then motioned for her men to pull him back to his feet and tighten their hold on him, as one of the soldiers gripped him roughly by his hair to force him to keep his head up. "You don't want me to make you do as I ask, Captain. You will regret forcing me to show my anger."

"Because… I hoped that the woman the other me loves would be the key to breaking the curse over my heart," Hook finally answered curtly, as he felt disappointment towards himself for giving this evil woman the satisfaction of his cooperation. "It's been poisoned. But I was wrong about everything. Whatever it is you want my daughter for, I can assure you… I won't let you get your hands on her. Nor will those I fight alongside now against you. They will protect her. And so will the Dark One."

The Lady of the manor reached her hand out and roamed it over his chest to be able to feel the beating of his poisoned heart while she replied, "Oh… relax, Captain. I only hoped I might be able to use your daughter as a guide around Wonderland to help me find someone I understand fled there long ago to get away from me. But it appears I will just have to find someone else to do so instead. It's no matter. I once poisoned another's heart myself. The very woman I seek in fact. Poor Captain Hook. It's a cruel punishment to be forced apart from the person you love most. Who did this to you?"

All of a sudden, the doors to the room in which they resided in burst open by a great force to reveal Gothel standing before them and she sauntered towards them while she haughtily responded, "I did. In punishment for his defiance against me as well. I'm so sorry to interrupt this interrogation, Rapunzel."

"But I came once I heard you had captured Hook here as he tried to protect his daughter yet again," the nymph continued when she walked around in front of the pirate and seductively roamed her own hand along the side of his face like she'd done before, until he yanked his head away from her.

"What exactly do you want, Gothel?" Lady Tremaine questioned her own enemy in frustration. "If you've come here to take my prisoner from me…"

Gothel looked over at her while she remained in front of Hook and before the younger woman could finish she answered, "Don't worry. You'll be well compensated for allowing me to take him off your hands. First… you needn't waste your time with a journey to Wonderland looking for Cinderella's mother. She's dead. Has been for some time thanks to a battle against a jabberwocky. And if you'll allow me to take Hook with me without me having to go through the trouble of killing the rest of your guards here, then I will give you a little extra magic than just your magic wand to help you to defeat the heroes… or more importantly, Cinderella."

The other villainess stared at her as she skeptically replied, "I can do that without any help from you. My stepdaughter is hardly a threat without the others."

"Maybe not, but you wish to avenge your poor Anastasia by seeing to it that all of those responsible for her death suffer at your hands," the witch responded coolly, then summoned a vial of blood into the palm of her hand. "Do you not? She is the last one, now that you know her mother is dead. This blood belonged to Cecilia. With it and your wand there, you'll be able to imprison your stepdaughter in whatever cruel manner of prison you wish. Or simply kill her outright if you'd rather."

"Do relax, Captain," Gothel added cruelly as she turned back to Hook again when he began to struggle to get free upon hearing his enemies plotting to hurt one of his friends. "Your friend, Henry will find love again no doubt. He'll be sad for awhile, but he'll learn to get over Cinderella. And should things between you and I work out as I hope, you will no longer care what comes of those you love."

Hook glared at her darkly while he answered, "I won't ever choose you over them. I will never love you. And they won't allow anything to happen to Ella either."

Lady Tremaine looked between him and Gothel, then after she thought over the deal which the nymph offered to her, she finally replied, "Very well… Captain Hook here in exchange for Cecelia's blood."

"Then it appears we have an accord," Mother Gothel responded smugly and handed the vial over to Rapunzel, then motioned for the soldiers to release their prisoner. "I suppose it's time we left, Captain. We've lots to talk about, you and I."

"No…" he started to object as the men released him until the witch used her power to render him unconscious, then knelt down over him before she poofed him and herself away.

One of the Lady's guards spoke up as she asked, "Did you need us for anything more tonight, My Lady?"

Rapunzel looked between her men and shook her head, then she answered, "It's time for you to go. I have plans to make."

"Yes, ma'am," he replied, then together the soldiers left the room and closed the doors behind them.

"Now… first thing to do is to prepare for those coming to try to save their friend who's no longer in my possession," the villainess then uttered to herself once she was alone.


	11. Chapter 11

Whipping Boy

Chapter Eleven

Hyperion Heights…

After he left the precinct, Drew caught a cab back to his apartment since his car remained parked behind the building upon him being arrested. Once he paid the driver, he got out of the cab and walked inside, but as he attempted to turn on the lights, he was surprised when they only flickered, then went out. However, his surprise quickly faded and Drew rolled his eyes. He'd worked long enough with the voodoo witchdoctor to know the flickering lights were because of his dark magic and not because of a short in the electricity throughout the room, or the bulbs burning out.

Without restoring the lights, the former Prince's employer now known around the Heights as Baron Samdi, spoke up saying, "It's a little late to be returning home from a bar which closed hours ago on account of it becoming a crime scene. Where have you been, Drew?"

Drew turned his head to the sound of the deep voice behind him as Facilier allowed the lights to finally come back on and found the villain sitting in the recliner in the far corner of the room, then in honesty he replied, "Thanks to you, I've spent the last few hours down at the police station in an interrogation room being questioned by Detective Weaver. He somehow discovered right away I had something to do with his partner's abduction and the condition he's in now."

"Did you tell him anything?" Sidney asked when he too stepped out from the kitchen with a sandwich he had made for himself from the food he found in the younger man's fridge and cupboards, then walked over to stand beside the man who held a contract over his head as well.

"Weaver caught me red handed," the Prince responded in frustration as he took a seat on the couch so he could face his employer and the genie. "He came to question me as I was attempting to get rid of Rogers' things he had on him when I abducted him for you, then arrested me. I tried to make up a plausible excuse for having his things, but the Dark One saw right through my lies and he's angry. I didn't have a choice. He knows who I am and that I work for you."

Facilier kept his eyes on Drew while he answered, "Don't worry about it, Drew. I'm not angry you ratted me out, or even possibly tried to make a deal with the Dark One so he can help you out from under my control. I've known Rumplestiltskin's awake since I first came here. He won't make a move against me, seeing as I have magic and he does not. And he won't try to arrest me either. He's grown weak and sentimental."

Drew glared at the man he hated as he replied, "You underestimate him. You didn't see the determination in his eyes to make all responsible for his friend's current state. Not to mention that you'll have the former Evil Queen to deal with as well. I saw Regina tonight as I was leaving the station along with that young street girl who's really Rogers' daughter."

"I can handle Regina," the villain responded smugly. "We go back a long way. Her love for Hook only makes her weak. I may have agreed to work with Mother Gothel so I can finally get my hands on the Dark One dagger, but if it helps to rid this world of the fake version of Captain Hook so that the Queen will see she can do better than a pirate… Well then, all this is worth it even if that witch fails."

"If you really believe Her Majesty will choose to be with you after all this is said and done, you're setting yourself up for nothing but disappointment," Sidney coldly uttered under his breath. "Especially once she learns of your involvement in her boyfriend's abduction and the anguish he's suffering now."

Facilier stood from his chair and turned to face the genie who had also once believed himself to be the Evil Queen's lover, then answered darkly, "I didn't bring you into my services to mock me for any decision I make, Genie. Your role in this was to do as Gothel needed you to do. Now that you've completed your first task, I'd like you to be the reporter you once were and spin this story the way we've discussed. You will do for me as you did for Regina back in Storybrooke. Is that understood?"

Sidney nodded and then in frustration he replied, "Fine. I guess it's time the heroes finally come to know I'm back. I'll get writing."

Meanwhile, still at the precinct…

Regina stared down the Rogers' prosthetic hand she was holding in her hands while she allowed herself to become lost in thought, until she turned her head and saw the metal hook that belonged to his true self still in its evidence bag, then she reached over to pick it up as well. Gold watched her do so, but he didn't say a word. At least not until she started to open the sealed bag.

"What are you doing?" he questioned her when he looked up from the things belonging to Rogers' attacker still lying spread out on the table in front of him. "I assure you, his hook is perfectly safe here."

"I'd feel better if it was with me and not among police evidence," the former Queen responded coldly. "His hook… Rogers' belongings… they're not evidence in a crime, Gold. And this evidence locker isn't your pawnshop back in Storybrooke. I'd like to keep them with me for when we wake up Hook. I know I mentioned this before, but do you suppose we could use his hook to somehow help him remember?"

Weaver shook his head in frustration and then answered, "And like I told you before, it's possible. However, we still need to bring Rogers back out first and we don't even know yet how far back into his mind Gothel has forced him, seeing as he hasn't woken up from his attack yet. It is too early to say for a certainty what we can do to help him. Remember, we're here to try to discover a way to bring down Gothel once and for all too and to do that, we need one piece of evidence that leads to Rogers' condition being because of her."

Roni nodded and went back to work in helping the senior detective go through Rogers' attacker's personal effects, then she said, "On my way in here tonight, I saw the younger man who works for Samdi… Facilier. Why was he here?"

"Because I was questioning him about his involvement in all of this," Gold replied in concern, as he understood this was her subtle way of getting to the truth about whether or not a man she had had a brief relationship with back when she was still the Evil Queen was involved in Rogers' state as well. "Tilly said she had seen Gothel talking with Facilier not long after he arrived here in Hyperion Heights. So, I went out to find him and ended up finding Drew first as he was about to get rid of Rogers' things. I'm afraid Drew was the one who had actually abducted Rogers once he first arrived back in the neighborhood… I suspect before he could get back to you at your bar. Drew tasered him and delivered him to Facilier, who then delivered him to Gothel. Two weeks ago."

"He was that bitch's prisoner for two weeks?" she uttered fearfully as she struggled to get a grasp on the bitter truth, then suddenly slammed his hook down against the metal table in front of her out of anger. "I knew something was wrong. He stopped calling. Neither of us heard from him since two weeks ago and yet we did nothing to find him. Why didn't I trust my gut and ask you to help me find him sooner? Instead, he had to find a way to escape and it got him a stab wound in his stomach and a trip to the hospital where he's now fighting for his life. And on top of all that… he's married to that bitch because she manipulated whoever she had to so she could keep him her prisoner legally!"

Gold reached out to lay his hand over hers to try to calm her when she became angry and then he responded, "Regina… we will help him. I promise. Do you believe in me enough to trust that I have my partner's best interests at heart?"

Regina turned her head and looked into his eyes as she nodded, then wiped away a tear that fell from her eye as she answered, "Yes. I do."


	12. Chapter 12

Whipping Boy

Chapter Twelve

After she ran from the precinct before she could lash out any further on the man she knew really did want to help Rogers, Tilly ran back to the hospital in hope of finding another chance to see the detective who had done so much for her. She and Rogers' friends had been kicked out by Eloise and her lawyer, whom she couldn't help but feel was as crooked as the woman responsible for hurting her only real friend she's ever known. But as far as everyone else in the neighborhood was concerned, Tilly was invisible. So she expected to be able to get in and out of his room without being seen. Her only problem would be if Eloise or the others from her cult were still there with Detective Rogers. For whatever reason, they always seemed to be able to see her just fine. Being in any of their presences was the only time she truly wished she was invisible.

Once Tilly reached the hospital and cautiously entered the corridor within the emergency wing as she looked all around before taking another step inside towards Rogers' room at the end of the hallway, she was grateful to see that the nurses at the help desk she'd have to pass to get to the room were distracted with filing papers, reading, or staring down at their phones. So, she kept walking and like she expected, no one saw her do so.

At last, she peered through the window from outside of her friend's room towards the detective now fighting for his life and quickly wiped away the tears that started to fall down her cheeks upon first seeing him in such a state, then uttered a brief word in gratitude for finding him to be all alone, before she finally opened the door to let herself inside.

When she walked over to stand beside the bed, Tilly's mind wandered back to a day she regretted more than most. The day when she had been asked by Rogers' own partner to lie to him, knowing that Rogers had trusted her to be truthful with him about whatever she learned about Eloise Gardener's disappearance. The devastated look in his eyes as she told him Eloise was dead had crushed her, knowing that he blamed himself for her death when the evil woman was far from being dead.

 _"_ _Hey!" she remembered Rogers suddenly calling out to her that day, as she attempted to walk away before she told him and Henry what she had been told to go there to tell them in the meeting she set up with the detective two hours beforehand, until he and the younger man began to chase after her. "Hey! Hey!"_

 _"Where's she going?" Henry asked him in confusion._

 _Rogers continued to run after her as she picked up her pace to leave until they caught up to her, then desperately he asked, "Hey, we were waiting. Did you find anything?"_

 _Tilly finally turned around to face him and then in frustration she answered, "Yeah, I found something. But you don't want to hear this."_

 _"Of course I do," he quickly replied assuredly._

 _"No, I should go," she nervously responded and started to turn away again until she heard him plead with her to come back._

 _The detective cried out, "Hey, stop! Whatever you've got, just get on with it."_

 _Tilly sighed, then while she looked between both of the men standing in front of her, she reluctantly answered, "Okay. I spoke to a few of the runaways from the old group home. There was a guy who used to go out with a girl… a girl by the name of Rain. She wrote poetry, loved Salinger. Was constantly drawing in her notebook. So, I checked him out, okay? And…"_

 _"And uh... he gave me this," she apprehensively continued when she pulled out a piece of paper torn out from Eloise's notebook and handed it over to Rogers before stuffing her hands back into her coat pockets._

 _"This… This drawing's from her," the detective whispered with a hint of relief in his voice after finally receiving what he thought was the first good lead in the missing woman's disappearance. "This is from Eloise."_

 _He suddenly looked up at her again while he asked, "That guy… did he say where she is?"_

 _Tilly had to turn away from him as her reluctance to finish telling Rogers what she had to only grew and when she did so, he then questioned, "Hey… What?"_

 _"She's dead," she finally uttered bluntly in reply, and it was then that she saw the devastation in his eyes as he took a few steps back in shock at her words, making her instantly regret her decision to lie to this man she had grown to care about and knew didn't deserve to feel so guilt ridden._

 _"How?" he asked quietly without being able to look at her again._

 _Tilly worryingly replied, "Car accident. There was a stolen car, and since her real name wasn't Rain…"_

 _Henry finished for her, "They couldn't identify the body."_

 _"Hey, I'm so sorry…" he then added when he turned to Rogers in a failed attempt to try to apologize for the deeper sense of loss he knew his friend was now feeling._

 _"I need to be alone," Rogers responded softly after raising his hand to cut him off, then simply walked away from her and his friend just as she did as well._

Tilly shook her head to try to clear the memory from her mind, only to have her thoughts drift back to another memory from that same night which shook her even more so than the previous memory did. The memory of how she had approached Detective Rogers again and saw in his eyes, as well as heard in the tone of his voice that he since learned she had lied to him before.

 _When she walked up to him, wearing the hood of her coat up over her head not only to protect her from the rain, but to remain invisible to everyone else surrounding them, he turned around to face her while he asked curtly, "What do you want?"_

 _With sincerity and remorse, she answered, "To say I'm sorry about the page. Weaver said it was for the best. And I can't always figure that out for myself."_

 _"Take a look at what he was covering up," Rogers replied in disappointment, as he motioned to her with his head to look back towards the ambulance where Eloise was being seen to by the paramedics. "Now you tell me, was that for the best?"_

 _"You know what?" he then asked her again after he started to walk away from her until he turned around. "I understand."_

 _However, he then continued sadly, "I'm just disappointed. You're not the person I thought you were."_

Tilly was suddenly startled from her thoughts when she thought she heard someone entering Rogers' room, only to see through the window that a couple of nurses had entered the room nearest to his instead and had accidentally slammed the door against the wall when they walked inside.

When she saw it was safe to do so again, Tilly turned her attention back on her friend and stared down at his hand sadly, finding it difficult to look up at his face beneath the breathing tube covering its lower half. Whether it was because of the guilt she felt for feeling like she had let him down, or because of the pain she could see etched across his eerily still face, she didn't know. Nor did it matter much to her one way or another.

Finally, she reached down to tenderly touch his hand and spoke quietly saying, "I bet you're probably wishing you had listened to everyone when they warned you about Eloise. I bet you wish you had listened to me."

"God…!" Tilly suddenly uttered again with remorse in her voice once she recognized how callous her words sounded, and began to beat herself up for reprimanding him. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to… to sound so callous. That wasn't what I… what I wanted to say. I'm just so… so sorry, detective. I hoped after you learned just how evil that woman really is, you'd be safer. And yet here you are… barely alive because of a machine and a breathing tube down your throat. If only I had known when you were coming back home. I… I would have left your apartment you let me stay in to come out to greet you. But then this had to happen to you. It's not fair. I owe you a debt I don't know if I will ever be able to repay because… well, because you've been so good to me even when I didn't deserve your kindness and generosity, Rogers. I lied to you at first about Eloise. Made you suffer needless guilt and now… I'm just so sorry. You can't die."

"A lot's happened here since you've been gone, even though it's only been a short while," she finally continued after taking a few minutes to collect her thoughts while she at last allowed herself to take a seat in the chair beside his bed, releasing his hand as she did so. "Kelly has decided to stay here permanently with Roni so she can join you, Roni, and Henry in your crusade to take down the corruption in the Heights. Including Eloise Gardener of course. Her fiancé… Kelly's, that is… has come a few times from San Francisco despite his busy life there to be here with her, which I think is very sweet. Oh… and Hyperion Heights has had its first known serial killer, who targeted Kelly because he believed her to be an evil witch… if you can believe that. What's scary is that this killer turned out to be someone you and your friends all believed was also a friend, not to mention Lucy's father. It was Nick I believe his name was. He's dead now. I'm sorry. He died from a heart attack, or at least that's what the doctors tried to tell Weaver. He doesn't believe it of course. He suspects foul play. He just can't prove it. What else can I tell you? Lucy's awake from her coma and seems to be doing fine. That's good. Victoria Belfrey's gone. She died after giving her life to save her daughter, Ivy from Eloise like you almost died for them before. Belfrey's daughters left town. Kelly's daughter, Margot has joined her mother here after coming back from Tibet. She seems really cool, though I don't know her all that well yet. And as for Eloise… Weaver's done all he can to try to lock her and her other sisters in their cult away, but it's complicated. And a really long story. However, he's doing all he can and so is Roni, and… me. I'm sorry… I've just been rambling on. I should probably go before I get caught in here. That's another problem we're trying to work out too."

Tilly stood up again as she prepared to leave until she was suddenly startled when the door opened, and became nervous when Eloise appeared in the doorway as the villainess almost sounded sincere when she responded, "No… please don't go just yet, Tilly. I was hoping you and I might have the chance to talk. We've much to talk about."

The young woman glared at her as she took a few steps back when Eloise attempted to walk closer to her, then she answered, "I have nothing to say to you, other than… How dare you do this to Detective Rogers after everything he did to save you after you went missing! How could you do this to him? He's a good man."

"Yes, he is," Gothel replied in agreement. "It's like I once told him when he came to visit me at my apartment not too long ago… he's my white knight. I owe him more than I fear I'll ever be able to repay."

"You've got a funny way of showing it," Tilly responded angrily. "Your appreciation I mean. If you really want to talk, tell me why you've done all this to him?"

The tree nymph slowly took a seat in the chair across from where her daughter was still standing over her father and reached out to begin to caress Rogers' cheek, then she coolly answered, "I wasn't the one who has done this to him, dear Tilly. My husband was mugged on his way to a bar last night for a drink. The doctors and police say he was lucky to still be alive and it's all because he was able to fight back against his assailant."

Tilly stared at Eloise in disbelief until she darkly retorted, "An assailant who works for you! You abducted him, but then Rogers escaped, so you sent one of your thugs to go after him. I know what you are. You're a monster! This isn't the first time you've hurt him either. Or have you already forgotten how I pickpocketed the antidote for the poison you injected him with before, after you abducted him and did God knows what to him?"

"Despite what you might think, Tilly… Rogers has forgiven me for whatever you were led to believe happened between us then and he understood that things weren't at all as they seemed," Eloise replied, pretending to seem upset over the dreadful state he was in. "Enough, so that we even fell in love and then married."

"I don't believe you," Rogers' daughter responded sadly. "You're a liar and somehow Weaver's going to prove it, just as he thwarted whatever plans you had for Rogers the last time too."

Gothel gave her a small yet smug smile as she sat back and turned her eyes back down on the man lying in the bed before them, then she questioned, "Why do you think you feel such a connection to Detective Rogers, Tilly?"

She glared at the witch while she answered, "I don't know. Even if I did, I certainly wouldn't tell you."

"What if I were to tell you… if you would be willing to come with me back to my apartment so we could continue to talk, that I could reveal to you secrets which are right now beyond your understanding?" the villainess asked her when she continued to speak. "Secrets which not even Detective Weaver, Roni, or Kelly are willing to tell you."

"What sort of secrets could you possibly tell me that would justify all you've done to Rogers?" Tilly asked curtly. "Cause that's all I really care about right now. He's why I'm here. I have to go. You won't get away with this, crazy lady."

As the young woman from Wonderland was about to leave the room once more, Eloise called out to her again as she replied, "You might not understand my reasons for doing as I've done just yet, but I can help him heal faster. There are forces in this world few people know about. Magic… which I can use to save Rogers' life. Just watch."

Before Tilly could object to the vile woman's strange, yet unbelievable actions when Gothel lowered her free hand down over the wound in Rogers' abdomen while keeping the other still against his face to help keep him still, a light suddenly emitted from her hands as magic flowed through her and into him. Her daughter couldn't help but watch in fascination until the nymph finished as the wound mostly healed despite Eloise's struggle to do so, since the magic within this small part of the world had been stripped from almost everyone along with their true memories thanks to the curse. Rogers didn't awaken, but upon seeing that the wound wasn't ugly like before, Tilly somehow knew then he was no longer at risk of dying except from remaining Eloise's captive.

Tilly looked into the other woman's eyes crossly when Eloise looked up at her again too, then she questioned, "How did you do… whatever it was you just did? What exactly have you done?"

"I healed him, despite my doing so draining what little magic I currently possess under the circumstances being as they are," she responded, once again sounding sincere in her motives for helping him. "Or at least he's been healed as much as I could do for him. Please, Tilly… I'd like to speak with you more, if you would just come with me somewhere where we can be more comfortable."

"I told you before… I refuse to go anywhere with you because of the evil woman that you are," Rogers' daughter answered angrily. "I won't fall for your lies, whatever it is you've just done. Because I know you didn't help Rogers just now for him, or even for me."

 _She then asked her again curtly, "How do you even know my name?"_

 _Eloise eerily replied, "I know more than your name."_

 _"Bully for you," Tilly retorted in frustration. "And I know who you are, too. You're part of that cult, and I want you out of my sight."_

 _"I just want to talk," her mother responded._

 _The younger woman brusquely asked, "Why the hell would I want to talk to you anymore?"_

 _Gothel finally answered her straight out, "Because I'm your mother."_

 _"No," Tilly whispered in disbelief upon hearing this dangerous revelation. "That's not possible. My mother left years ago. So either you're a liar, or a monster like I already believe you to be. Because what kind of woman abandons her child?"_

 _"I know I was selfish, and it's no excuse, but the world was… It was cruel to me," her mother replied, about as sincerely as anyone evil like her was capable of being, Eloise's voice breaking while she continued. "And I became cruel, too. But I want to change. Maybe if you could forgive me, maybe you'd find peace. You'd get back what I took from you. You'll feel wanted."_

 _Tilly looked at the woman again with hate in her eyes as she responded, "I already am wanted."_

 _She glanced down at the man she still didn't know was her father lying unconscious in front of her to indicate that Rogers did truly care about her, before she immediately continued to stare at Eloise while she confidently added, "Already have people who care for me."_

"Do you truly believe that?" Eloise implored her with one last effort to convince her daughter to hear her out and to come to trust her. "Detective Rogers here isn't the only one who does, Tilly. I do. That is, I want to… if you'll let me."

"No… I don't believe you," the young woman from Wonderland answered her, as she understood this woman was trying to tell her she cared for her too. "You care for no one, but yourself and maybe those in your cult. Because you're evil. And besides… his partner cares about my wellbeing, and so do Roni, Kelly, and Henry, as well as several others here. But even if Rogers were the only one who cared… it would be enough. I trust him. After all he's done for me, how can I not? You know what? I don't have to stand here and listen to you anymore. I'm done. If he really is healed, then I'm grateful, but that's the only kindness you'll get from me. I know this won't be the last time you hurt him. Just know that you will pay for what you've done one way or another."

Gothel replied, "Your friends won't stop me, Tilly. No one can."

Tilly looked over at her one last time as she haughtily responded, "You wanna bet?"

With that said, Tilly finally stormed out of the room, regretfully leaving Rogers alone with the villainess once more as much as she wished she didn't have to. As much as she wanted to return to the police station to talk with Weaver and Roni, who she had no doubt were still there trying to do whatever they could for their friend, she was too angry and she knew she needed some time to consider what Eloise had just told her. It couldn't be true, and yet there was a small part of her who feared that for once this evil woman had spoken the truth.


	13. Chapter 13

Whipping Boy

Chapter Thirteen

Back in the past…

Regina arrived with Alice at the rebel camp, where Henry was holding his newborn daughter in his arms while he was talking with Ella, Tiana, and Tiger Lily who had come to the New Enchanted Forest from Neverland to bestow a gift on her newest charge as the new baby's Fairy Godmother. Once the final battle between the Savior and the villain who had been destined to kill her ended and was won, the fairy who had given up her wings left the dark island to find Blue to get her wings back, now that her mistakes with the Black Fairy had been absolved.

However, when Henry saw his mother return, he started walking towards her with a look of concern on his face once he saw the fear in her eyes, as he asked, "Mom? What's wrong? I thought you were going to go out to search for Hoo…"

He suddenly cut himself off when Alice stepped out from behind Regina, then he continued, "Oh… Alice… Is Hook alright?"

"Not hardly," the young woman responded to him curtly. "My father's been captured by Lady Tremaine's men. Protecting me. He was protecting me when her soldiers attacked me this morning. I don't know why."

"And we're going to storm that woman's manor one way or another if we have to, so we can get him back," the former Evil Queen replied fervently. "Hopefully before she can harm him."

Tiana then spoke up saying, "I agree that we have to rescue Hook of course, but we can't just storm Lady Tremaine's manor without a good solid plan which hopefully won't result in any of the rest of us getting captured or hurt either. Our scouts say she's still continuing to transport magic such as dark fairy dust and enchanted weapons from the King's vault, to her manor. I don't doubt she's planning an attack against us. And then we still have Drizella now to worry about on top of all that."

Ella wrapped her arms around her husband's back as she looked between him and their Queen and then questioned, "I'm sure my stepmother will be expecting us to come up with a rescue plan to save Hook, but do we still have that map of the land surrounding her manor? We could attempt to go with our previous plan to have two sets of resistance guards on either flank in order to occupy her soldiers. But… it's risky."

"A little too risky," Henry answered in frustration, then looked over between Ella and their daughter. "Ella, you need to stay here in camp among our own men and my mother's protection spell, where you and our daughter will be safe. Besides, you're hardly up for a battle since you're still recovering from giving birth."

"I know," she responded assuredly. "Don't worry, we'll be here when you and the others all come back with Hook."

It was then that Tiger Lily stated, "First… it might be a good idea to know for sure that Hook is even there at Lady Tremaine's manor. By the way, how did Hook become separated from Emma anyways? And how is it that he has a daughter who's grown to become a young woman? He never once mentioned her to me in all the years I've known him."

Henry gave a small laugh, then Regina answered, "Actually, this isn't the Hook you knew from your time in Neverland. Alice's father is Captain Hook from the Wish Realm, which was created by a wish Emma sort of made years ago. It's a long story."

"My father knew him though," Alice replied softly when she turned to face the Orange Fairy. "Your Hook… I mean. My father holds him in high esteem since they met. The other Hook… he and the Savior gave Papa back his hope he would find a way to save me and to cure the poison over his heart that's keeping us apart. If you know of a way to help us find where this Tremaine woman is holding him… Please, help us."

Tiger Lily looked at the young woman with admiration and with kindness in her eyes as she responded, "Of course I will. I can see from your plea and in your eyes that you love your father very much, as I've no doubt he loves you just as much. Do you have something that belongs to him? Something that means something of great value to you both perhaps?"

The girl from the New Wonderland reached into the pocket she stitched into her skirt and pulled out her father's chess piece, then held it up for the fairy to see while she answered, "This is the most valuable possession I have. My father and me… we used to play chess a lot and then just before his heart was poisoned by a vile witch, he gave me this piece to remember him by. He has always been my White Knight and I'm his Little Rook. The black rook is the piece he carries with him always to remember me. This knight piece… it only ever briefly left my possession since then… when I once asked Ella to give it back to him to help him find strength again. I've since gotten it back."

"Can you use it to find him?" she then quickly asked as she held it out for Tiger Lily to take.

"This will work perfectly," the Orange Fairy replied sincerely, then tenderly took the horse head into her hand as she smiled at Alice as if to offer her some comfort, after which Alice sadly smiled back, her worry for her father was still very apparent within her eyes.

Tiger Lily then held the piece tightly between both of her hands as she closed her eyes to concentrate on her magic when she summoned it from within her to conjure up a vision within her mind which would hopefully allow her to find this version of Hook she had yet to get to know.

After a few moments passed, her power worked as she hoped, as a vision formed and she could suddenly see Hook forced upon his knees among a group of armored soldiers, then at last the villainess she suspected her friends had spoken of, who had taken him prisoner. Only, Lady Tremaine wasn't the only villain there with them.

The fairy's vision began as she saw as Lady Tremaine looked between her captive and the other woman among them, then answered, "Very well… Captain Hook here in exchange for Cecelia's blood."

The witch handed over a small vial of what appeared to be blood to the villainess, then motioned for the armed men to release Hook while she responded, "Then it appears we have an accord. I suppose it's time we left, Captain. We've lots to talk about, you and I."

"No…" he started to object as the guards released him until the witch used her power to render him unconscious, then knelt down over him before she poofed him and herself away.

"Oh dear…" Tiger Lily finally said again once her magic faded after her vision ended.

Alice looked at her in fear as she questioned, "What? What is it? Is my papa okay? Did you see him?"

Regina reached out to lay her hand gently over Hook's daughter's shoulder comfortingly while the woman from Neverland replied sadly, "Yes… I saw him. He appeared to be alright for now, but… I'm afraid it isn't this Lady Tremaine we have to deal with any longer when we try to save him. There was another woman. A witch from the look of it."

"Did this witch have long grayish brown braided hair and wear a heavy red and black cloak with a hood?" the young woman asked her darkly, as not only her fear for her father heightened, but her anger swelled within her as well.

"I'm afraid so," Tiger Lily answered remorsefully. "It appears they made some sort of deal for your father."

Regina then exclaimed, "Gothel. She's taken Hook from Lady Tremaine. It's going to be a lot more difficult to get him back now."

Alice looked back at the woman who loved Hook and pushed her hand away from her shoulder, then retorted, "It doesn't matter how difficult it is to get Papa back. We have to! That witch has already poisoned his heart so he can't be near me and it kills him… because he blames himself for what she's done to him. We can't let her hurt him anymore. We can't!"

"We will find him, Alice," Regina assured her as she looked straight into the young woman's eyes with worry in her own.

"The question is… how?" Henry uttered.


	14. Chapter 14

Whipping Boy

Chapter Fourteen

Upon leaving the hospital, Tilly started walking down the streets through the neighborhood in the direction of Rogers' apartment like she planned. All she longed for after speaking with the woman who suddenly claimed to be her mother, was a peace of mind and the detective's apartment was the only real place in Hyperion Heights where she truly felt safe. Not even her storage container had done that for her despite it being the only place she had to call home until now, for as long as she could remember. Yet while she continued to walk, the more her mind grew distracted since she couldn't stop thinking about Eloise Gardener's words over and over, almost to the point of madness.

Her madness certainly wasn't unfamiliar to the invisible girl, but she still hated it because it frightened her more than she's ever told those who knew her best like Rogers and Detective Weaver. Yet she's found it has grown more infrequent ever since she had gotten to know them both. Especially Rogers. At least until now, as Tilly began to mutter her thoughts out loud and beating her temples with her fists to try to get them to settle down.

Her thoughts now had grown so loud, that Tilly failed to hear Roni calling out to her and it took the bar owner coming up to her and gently shaking her to finally gain her attention, as Tilly's head suddenly snapped up and she found herself staring in confusion into Roni's eyes while the dark haired woman looked into hers with worry.

"Tilly… what's wrong?" Regina asked her in worry upon seeing the confusion and fear in her eyes. "What happened?"

"Where am… Where did you come from?" the young woman questioned nervously, then looked around her to try to get a sense of where she was and found she had made her way as far as the precinct.

The Queen turned her head to look towards the station and replied, "I just walked out of the police station after I finished talking with Weaver and now I'm on my way home. What about you? Are you alright?"

Tilly shook her head and turned away from Roni while she answered crossly, "You're going to think I'm nuts, or more so than usual anyways. Even I don't understand it."

"Tilly… whatever it is, I promise you that you can trust me," Regina responded to her with sincerity as she walked around Rogers' daughter to face her again so she could continue to try to help her. "I would never think you're crazy. You might just be surprised by what I'm willing to believe. So please tell me… what's wrong?"

"I just came from the hospital," she replied worryingly as she looked into Roni's eyes again. "I snuck in so I could see Rogers. I needed to know he was okay. Or at least that he was alive and safe."

Regina fearfully asked, "And is he? Okay… I mean."

The girl nervously answered, "I think so. Or at least he's about as good as he could be in this sort of situation. It's just… I got into the hospital fine. No one saw me like usual, but… but as I was talking to him… He wasn't awake mind you. Still unconscious with a breathing tube down his throat to keep him alive. So I was speaking to him and as I was, that Eloise Gardener caught me. Only, she was pleased to see me. Roni, I have to know something… Is magic real and is that woman somehow my mother?"

Regina stared at her in shock until she glanced in the direction of the precinct and then urged Tilly to come along with her as they both headed back inside the station to find Gold again so they could discuss her questions together. While the Queen knew the answers, she also knew that Rogers' daughter wouldn't believe her as much as she might believe Weaver, since she had more of an established friendship with him.

"Back so soon?" the senior detective questioned when he turned his head upon seeing Regina again as she entered his office, where he walked back to after he left the evidence locker to prepare to leave for the night himself. "Did you forget something?"

"We have more to talk about," she responded sternly, as Tilly stepped around from behind her.

Gold looked at both women in apprehension, then stated, "I see. It's been a really long night."

Tilly looked outside the window as she corrected, "It's actually morning now. The sun's rising."

"Yes it is," Weaver replied, glancing outside as well, then turned back to his friends once again. "And it looks like all of us have a long run of sleepless nights to come. What seems to be the trouble now?"

"Go ahead and tell Weaver what you've just told me," Roni said to the young woman now standing beside her. "Including your questions. You know you can trust him."

Rogers' daughter looked between her friends as she shook her hands nervously, then answered, "It's like I said before… I snuck into the hospital to see Rogers. I needed to know he was relatively okay. I got in just fine. No one saw me, but while I was talking to Rogers, who's still unconscious and is breathing because of a tube down his throat. At least he's alive. He didn't look so good though. But back to the problem… Eloise Gardener came into the room as I was talking to him. She caught me in there and she was surprisingly pleased to see me. Not cross like I expected. Said some malarkey about wanting to talk. Asked me to go with her back to her place where it'd be more private, then she went on to say she could tell me secrets which neither of you, or Kelly would be willing to talk to me about. That there are powerful forces that few people knew about. Magic. I didn't believe her, but she showed me something… impossible."

Tilly sighed loudly in frustration and took a few moments to think back to what happened in the hospital as she began to shake her hands again, while Weaver asked, "What did she show you, Tilly?"

"A strange light glowed from her hands," she responded nervously as she finally looked between the detective and Roni again. "As she laid one over the wound in Rogers' stomach and kept the other against his cheek. She said she could save him and she did. She healed him… his wound. Or at least I think she did. Unless I've at last gone bonkers like a part of me has always feared I would. She didn't heal him all the way, but enough to make him better. Said that doing what she did drained the magic she possessed because of circumstances. It looked like he was better, even if he didn't wake up before I left. I had to get out of there. She's a monster! Just like I've been trying to tell you. I don't care if she healed him. It's only so she can continue to hurt him even more. I know it! What does she want?!"

"It's all right," Gold then replied softly, as Regina reached out to lay her hands once again over her arms until she lowered them down to take her hands into her own to try to comfort her. "Just try to stay calm. You're right, Tilly. You're absolutely right. Eloise Gardener is dangerous. Roni and I both believe you and I promise you we have been doing everything can to try to protect Rogers from her. Only, she's very smart and powerful in her own right… just like you saw."

Tilly breathed in and out a few times to try to calm down and then she spoke again quietly saying, "I know. I can't always believe my eyes, but I know you care about Rogers like I do. Please tell me… Is magic real? And is that witch really my mother? She said she was."

The Dark One glanced over at Regina, then turned back to the girl before him as he answered firmly, "Yes she is. At least… she is by birth, but the blood you share doesn't make her your mother. She abandoned you and…"

"…and she killed my father," she retorted angrily before Weaver could finish. "Took him away from me when I was very young. I've missed him for as long as I remember because of her."

"She didn't kill your father, Tilly," Regina responded with worry as she tightened her grasp over her hands and looked squarely into the girl's eyes.

Gold turned to his old friend and with a warning tone, he uttered, "Regina…"

The Queen crossly interrupted, "No! She has a right to know. She needs to know the truth whether it wakes her or not. Knowing will help her to understand why she feels so close to him."

"Detective Rogers is my father… isn't he?" Tilly asked sadly, as she looked again between both Roni and Weaver. "It's just that somehow… neither of us remember the truth. Am I right?"

"Yes," Regina replied out of concern after she saw as Gold nodded his consent for her to continue. "It's true. Rogers is your father. He just doesn't know it either. But the two of you found each other despite the curse that's keeping you apart because of Eloise and her coven of witches. Her real name is Mother Gothel and magic… it's very real. Except she's the only one capable of wielding it right now."

The young woman shook her head while she struggled to apprehend everything she was being told despite the disbelief that her mind was trying to get her to feel, until she finally stopped Roni from continuing to talk, then wiped away the tears which began to fall from her eyes as she uneasily stated, "This is too much. I have… have to try to get some sleep. I'm tired. I believe you. It's just… I need some time to think all this through. I have to go."

And for the second time that morning, Tilly suddenly ran away from them as she left the police station and at last returned to Rogers' apartment like she wanted to do hours ago. Only this time, Regina and Gold knew it was so she could hide her tears and to keep from breaking down in front of her friends.

Regina reached up to her cheeks to wipe away her own tears before she finally turned back to her oldest friend again while she asked, "Did I just make a terrible mistake? She deserves to know Rogers is her father. After all… we are trying to find a way to wake Hook. Just maybe Tilly is the key we've been looking for."

"Telling her wasn't a mistake," Gold answered her in sincerity. "I wasn't sure at first, but just maybe you're right. Tilly has powerful magic within her too and while she isn't able to wield it now due to the curse, she may be able to find enough of it to help her father. I only fear that if she does, and they both wake… it could cause for the poison around Hook's heart to become activated again. And if it doesn't, then Gothel will most assuredly try to make it so as punishment for all our roles in thwarting her. You should go home and try to get some sleep. It's late… Or early rather. I'm going to try to do the same. Neither of us will be of any help to Rogers or Tilly if we're too exhausted to stand on our feet."

"I will," the Queen responded assuredly. "But then… I need to somehow get back into that hospital to see if what Tilly said about Gothel healing Rogers is true. Even if it's just for a second. I need to know he's alright."


	15. Chapter 15

Whipping Boy

Chapter Fifteen

After she and her fiancé had managed to catch a few hours of sleep once they left the hospital and then finally the bar again, despite how uneasy it was, Zelena was sitting at her kitchen table having a breakfast of grapefruit and a bowl of granola. It wasn't much, but then she didn't have the time to spend making waffles, pancakes, or anything more on account of her and Chad wanting to check in on her sister in order to make sure Regina was doing alright all things considered. They also hoped to find Weaver as well, to see if he had found out anything more on Rogers' abduction and condition.

While she ate what was left of the cereal in her bowl, Chad walked out from the bedroom they shared whenever he was in town and sat down at the table beside her as he groaned in frustration, then spoke crossly saying, "I'm afraid that's it. There's nothing more I can do to get myself assigned as Detective Rogers' doctor. The administrators at my hospital won't allow it because those here won't allow it either. They're all too afraid to step on anyone's toes, even though your friend might be the one to pay for that doctor's incompetence. I'm sorry, Kelly."

Zelena looked over and leaned in to kiss him, then answered, "Don't apologize. You've done the best you could. It was a longshot at best anyways. Would you like something to eat before we leave? I can cut you a grapefruit?"

"So can I," he stated with a smile, then reached out to pick another fruit from the fruit basket in front of them so he could do so himself. "Have you heard from your sister yet?"

"No, not yet," she responded worryingly. "I doubt she got any sleep last night and while what you saw from her last night at the bar and in the hospital seemed fairly pulled together for the most part, I know she's much worse off than she's allowing anyone to see. She loves Hook very much. She just hasn't been able to tell him in a long time ever since we were all cursed and he became Rogers."

Chad began to eat his grapefruit while he questioned, "How long were they together before this… this curse… swept over you? I'm sorry. It's just that it's still pretty hard for me to fathom everything you've told me about magic and this trouble all of you are in. I get it, but…"

The former Wicked Witch laid one of her hands over his and held it gently while she replied, "It's okay, sweetheart. I know how hard this has been for you to believe, especially since I've been unable to really prove it to you. I'm just grateful for how incredibly trusting and patient you've been with me. Not to mention understanding."

"I love you," the doctor from San Francisco answered plainly and sincerely. "And I know that you're a good woman, who's most certainly not crazy. It's been difficult to get away from the hospital back home, but in three months we won't have to be separated anymore and hopefully you will have broken this curse by then as well."

"I love you too," Kelly whispered, then kissed her fiancé again.

When she pulled back, she continued, "As for Regina and Hook… They weren't actually together anymore before the curse swept over us. Not for many years. They love each other emphatically. However, there were circumstances which caused them to have to stay apart. Hook never knew why Regina had to pull away, but… Gothel threatened to kill Hook's daughter if Regina didn't break his heart by splitting up with him. You remember Tilly from last night at the hospital? She's his and neither of them know they're father and daughter. Gothel was so jealous of his love for Regina… not to mention angry because he has rejected her on countless occasions, that she's been punishing him ever since the night they met a long time ago. First with poisoning his heart so that he hasn't been able to go anywhere near his daughter since she was a young girl without the risk of him dying. And now with all she's done to him including rape and framing him for murder. She's even somehow conjured this… dangerous obsession spell to make him hers against his will. It's sick."

Chad looked at her with disbelief while he responded, "My God… that's horrible. And now… Regina is awake and wants more than anything to tell Hook… I mean Rogers, she loves him. Yet she can't because of the curse making him forget who he really is, and that they ever loved each other?"

"Now you know how complicated this is for all of us," Zelena replied to him in frustration, then finished eating and wiped her hands with a napkin after she'd eaten the grapefruit. "And that's barely the tip of the iceberg. Are you still sure you want to stay?"

"I am," her fiancé answered sincerely as he looked into his love's eyes and then took her hands into his own again. "I told you… I want to be a part of your story, Zelena. Very much. I may not be a part of this amazing and frighteningly dangerous world of fairytales all of you come from, but I'd like to become a part of it through you. And while I can't help Rogers in the capacity of being his doctor, I want to help him in whatever way I can. Your sister too."

She leaned in to kiss him once again, then pulled back after a few moments as she responded lovingly, "How ever did I get so lucky to find you? This curse is terrible and it's caused so much pain, but without it… I never would have met you. So, a part of me is grateful for it as well. Come on… we should get on over to the bar. No doubt Regina's already there working to try to keep herself from going crazy."

Chad stood up to follow Kelly as she too stood and replied, "I'm right behind you."

Meanwhile…

Regina left her apartment around nine o'clock that morning after she struggled with trying to get what little sleep she could despite the fear she felt for the man she loved, until she finally gave up and decided to grab a quick bite to eat before she headed back to the hospital like she hoped to do since Tilly had revealed Gothel had possibly healed at least Rogers' knife wound. She didn't expect she would be able to get in to see Rogers, but she at least needed to see just what Gothel had done for herself.

She walked from her apartment into the center of Hyperion Heights where the hospital stood. However, as she passed by a newsstand while she had turned her head to glance at the morning's headlines, Regina suddenly stopped and doubled back when a photo of one of the paper's writers and the name under it caught her eye. The Queen immediately grabbed one of the papers and stared down at the article as began to seethe in anger.

 _"The 'mirror' strikes again," a voice sounded when a familiar and unwelcomed face walked up behind her while he held up his own copy of the paper for her to see, causing Regina to spin around with shock on her face. "I assure you, it's one of my better hatchet jobs."_

"Sidney…" the former Evil Queen uttered darkly when she glared at him with contempt for him in her eyes. "How are you… What are you doing here? How long have you been here in Hyperion Heights?"

The genie her former self had long ago kept trapped within her magic mirror smiled at her snidely as he answered, "Hello again, Regina. I wondered when we would finally have this little chat. To answer your questions, I haven't been here all that long. I arrived with a mutual friend of ours. Or at least… an employer to me and yet another former lover to you."

Regina stepped a few feet closer towards him to fill in the gap between them as she angrily retorted, "Watch it! My past and any relationships I might have had in it is none of your business, nor is what's going on here and now."

"Just what the hell is this?" she continued to ask as she held up the newspaper still in her hands, indicating the story he had written and forcefully thrust it at him. "You dare write these filthy lies about a good man and detective?! About how Rogers has returned to the Heights after four weeks in order to seek out the dead man, whose body is now currently lying in the morgue… for revenge! For this man having a brief relationship with Eloise Gardener, Rogers' wife whom he has come to be dangerously possessive of just before they were married, and then how Rogers might have killed this man to get rid of him before he could steal her away from him, only to become injured himself in his assault. This is all bullshit and you know it as well as I do! Did Facilier put you up to this? Or is slandering Rogers your way of getting your own revenge against me for keeping you trapped in my mirror all those years?"

"I suppose it's… a little bit of both," Sidney responded to her with a smug grin on his face once he stood straight again after he bent down to pick up the paper she threw at him. "So it's true then. You really do love this new version of Captain Hook. I have to say, Regina… even you deserve better than a fake copy of that good for nothing pirate back in Storybrooke. You really want to know what my real reason for doing this is? Do you?!"

Regina shrugged as she curtly replied, "Tell me your sob story. Though nothing could possibly constitute this."

He scoffed and then answered, "After the Snow Queen gave me my freedom, you tried to have me locked away again in my cell beneath the hospital. Because I betrayed you to her. So I ran during the chaos of her curse and hid when it wasn't possible to leave the town, but then she died and the town line was eventually cleared for anyone who wanted to leave… to leave. And I finally did. But you learned that I had and continued to send members of your guards who came over in your dark curse after me. To hunt me down and either bring me back, or to kill me. Out in the Land Without Magic, I was powerless. So one night in one final attack, my face became terribly burned in a fire your men set in the hole I had crawled into to try to hide from them again so they could smoke me out, then they left me for dead. I was found and brought to hospital where I was treated, but my face was horribly scarred. I was a freak, until I finally found my way to the Land of Untold Stories where my magic was restored, but I was unable to heal my burns myself. Instead, I was forced to hide my face under the disguise of a glamor spell. Eventually, I became employed by Dr. Facilier and was finally healed last night for real, thanks to Mother Gothel. This story I wrote for this morning's paper was Facilier's orders. He wanted my help to bring back the _Storybrooke Daily Mirror_ , now _The Heights Daily Mirror_ , for whatever his reasons for doing so are. And felt a story about the detective's mysterious attack would be a perfect way to begin it. However, the intimate details for it came from her. She agreed these lies would help continue to make Detective Rogers an even bigger outcast here among Hyperion Heights than he already is. You should have just let me go free."

"Neither villain will be able to protect you from me forever, Sidney," she responded angrily once again when he finally finished. "And you won't be able to hide behind free speech either. You're Gothel's lawyer who allowed for her to get away with all she's done to Rogers… aren't you? While under the guise of your glamor spell?"

"Yes I am," the genie replied proudly and grinned at Regina once more. "Now, if you'll excuse me… I'm afraid I have to go. I have lots to do to continue establishing my new newspaper. But I have no doubt that I'll be seeing you again, Regina. You're looking as beautiful as ever. You're the fairest in all the land."

When he finished, Sidney Glass turned and walked away from the Queen as he whistled gleefully. Regina screamed out his name while he did so, but he only ignored her and kept walking until he finally disappeared around a street corner. Out of her newfound anger on top of what she felt from all that's happened to the man she loved, she suddenly growled and then finally continued making her way towards the hospital with a copy of the newspaper in her hands.


	16. Chapter 16

Whipping Boy

Chapter Sixteen

Once again in the New Enchanted Forest…

Hours after his capture, Hook slowly awoke with a throbbing headache pounding heavily against his temples and while he attempted to sit up from where he found himself lying on a hardwood floor within a dimly lit room surrounded by burning candles, he suddenly gasped and raised his hand to his head as he swiftly closed his eyes again upon feeling the pain in his skull from whatever magic Gothel had used to render him unconscious. Once the initial pain finally passed, he slowly opened his eyes again and could now see enough through the blurriness he suspected would fade away soon enough, that he was inside a small chamber and surrounded by books of spells, candles, scrolls, herbs and plants, as well as artifacts typically found among witches.

"Welcome, to Memento Mori, Captain," Gothel said within a sinister manner like she said pretty much everything else, as Hook spun towards the witch who haunted him upon hearing her voice from beside him when she walked towards him from wherever she'd been waiting for him to come to. "This here is a curio shop frequented often by witches and others of great power such as myself and was once the home of my good friend, who… sadly died long ago. Yet her soul is still very much alive and still resides here. I promise you, we are well hidden under the magic of a cloaking spell and none of your friends will ever find you unless I deem it so."

"What the hell are you after now?" the pirate captain asked angrily while he struggled to raise himself up onto his knees to face her, then attempted to free himself from the thick ropes which still bound his hook and wrist together since earlier after he'd been captured by Lady Tremaine's soldiers. "Why must you continue to torment me for rejecting your offer to join you in our hunt for vengeance against our enemies the morning after we first met?! You seem quite capable of getting everything you want quite well on your own. You never needed me."

Gothel smiled coolly and then she responded, "No… you're right. I don't need you to get what I want. But I can't say I didn't enjoy the pleasure of your company that evening, Hook. It's like I told you then, it had been a long time since I enjoyed such pleasures like what you gave to me that night. I had hoped it would continue. As you might imagine, there are not many others around worthy enough to warrant my attention and affections such as you have."

Hook glared at her while he facetiously answered, "I'm flattered. I always knew how ruggedly handsome I was. But you're not my type. I don't go for treacherous women who abandon their children in towers for their own selfishness and greed, or who pretend to be a damsel in distress to get whatever they want. Or who rip away the only person who might care for a child after poisoning their heart to keep them apart. You're as ugly on the inside, as you are on the outside."

"I obviously misjudged you back then when I thought that your heart was as black as mine, since you spent over two hundred years seeking vengeance against the Dark One for killing the woman you once loved and taking your hand," the tree nymph replied to him angrily upon listening to his insult against her. "You've become a hero now. I know that. You love your daughter very deeply and are still in love with Regina despite her breaking your heart by rejecting you. But if you think I've punished you enough, you're wrong. I'm not through with you yet. In fact, our relationship has only just begun once again."

"There's no relationship between us!" the pirate shouted darkly. "I told you… I won't ever love you and no magic in this world is powerful enough to ever make me love you. You can't force someone to love another against their will."

Gothel smiled and then responded, "No… You're right, there isn't. But there is a cruel spell I've since discovered that is powerful enough to make you think you're in love with another. It's an obsession spell. You won't love me for real, so soon you will love me trapped under a cruel curse meant just for you, my dear Captain. You will be under my complete control and whatever it is I please. And your love for your daughter and Regina will be no more."

When Hook attempted to rise again to his feet in a doomed effort to defend himself against her, chains suddenly wrapped themselves around his body from over his shoulders and around his legs, chest, and waist, as they forced him back on his knees low to the ground while Gothel used her magic to control his new bonds.

He struggled within his chains while he cried, "No… Don't this! If my love for you won't be real, why do it?"

"Because this punishment will destroy you and make you suffer more than any other kind of punishment ever could," she answered cruelly, then walked over until she was standing in front of him and roughly grabbed his chin in her hand to force him to look up at her before she leaned down to kiss his lips despite his struggle against her. "And it will bring me great pleasure in doing so as well, Captain. Madame Leota! Are you here?"

"Yes, dear sister… I'm here," the medium whom Gothel considered to be among the most powerful of beings throughout all the realms replied quietly when the face of her non corporeal form appeared within the crystal ball sitting within the center of the round table a few feet away from where the pirate captain was their prisoner. "We shall soon see if our combined power is strong enough to enact this dark magic against the Captain's will and love for those he will hopefully soon forget."

Gothel walked back over to the podium nearby upon which an old leather bound book of darkest spells and potions laid open, then she began to trace her fingers over the words of the spell which she was about to incite as she darkly responded, "Good. Then let us begin."

Without warning, Leota suddenly unleashed torrents of electrical energy along the metal chains and into Hook's body to cause him excruciating anguish, the worst of which he's ever felt as he screamed and writhed uncontrollably, while Gothel began to chant loudly the words of the spell in order to enact it over her prey. At last, dark magic began to expel from both women and traveled through the air until finally entering Hook's body on top of the energy already coursing through him.

After several minutes while his pain and her chanting continued, the nymph finally stopped when she finished the spell, then her sister witch stopped her power as well, causing the Captain to collapse heavily against the floor. He remained conscious, but he was far too weak to lift his head or even open his eyes as he continued to writhe through the pain still within his body despite the silence now fallen over the room aside from the sounds of his heavy breathing and quiet sobs.

Slowly, Gothel walked from around the podium again to kneel over the man who had fallen victim to her cruelty and reached out to lay her hands over his arms to roll him over onto his back despite the chains still securing him to the floor, then almost tenderly she began to caress his face as she whispered soothingly, "All of this… could have been avoided if you had just given me what I wanted and chose to come with me that morning, Killian. You would have even spared yourself the pain from the poison over your heart. Tell me… have your affections changed? Or do you still feel your love for Alice and Regina?"

"I'm sorry… I'm not sure why I'm still feeling so weak even after you've healed my wounds and my fever," Hook heard himself say quietly within a memory which suddenly found its way into his mind just then while he struggled to remember his love for the woman of his true affection, when he was the first to break the passionate silence that had fallen over them and pulled away from the Queen kneeling in front of him, as the love they suddenly felt for one another seemed foreign for them both. "I can't seem to shake whatever's happened to me. The strange thing is, I think it started even before we ever went to Neverland."

"You're right about that," Regina answered, then moved to sit down beside him. "It's because you're just exhausted, both physically and emotionally because of all the pain you've suffered these last couple of days. I'm really sorry that things didn't work out like we hoped it would. But it was very brave of you to tell your daughter the truth about why Gothel has done this to you both. I wasn't eavesdropping. Or at least I wasn't really trying to. I promise, all I heard was the last bit of your confession to her when I came down here to find you. I wanted to make sure you were alright."

He smiled sadly and whispered, "It's okay. I don't mind that you heard. But you're wrong about me being brave. I should have told her about Gothel being her mother years ago when I could still hold her to comfort her. I wanted to. But I was too much of a coward. I was weak because I didn't want her to hate me too. She already hated the woman she could only imagine was her mother because I hadn't told Alice about her. Tonight was too late and now she's out there all alone."

The Queen shook her head as she replied, "She isn't alone, Hook. Henry will have gone off by now to go after her, in order to make sure she's alright. And Alice knows you think of her often, so she never forgets how much you truly love her. I came down here to be with you and you're hardly a coward. You were only trying to protect your daughter from the pain of what this truth has made her feel. She doesn't blame you for your actions back then, because she's sees that you're not that man anymore. Just as me and Henry see so too. You made a very difficult choice to give up everything you had in the world. Not just your revenge, but also your ship, your crew and friends… your entire life as a pirate after two hundred years, just to be there for Alice. And from the look I saw in Alice's eyes before she left just now, your sacrifices mean everything to her. She loves you, Hook. More than you know. Believe me, I've seen that same look in Henry's eyes many times, especially in the days that were the darkest for me. When I was still the Evil Queen."

Before either one of them could understand the feelings that swept over them in that moment, Killian surprised Regina when he gently reached up to touch her face and then leaned in as he began to kiss her. She continued to kiss him back until she suddenly pushed the pirate captain back much to his surprise.

"I'm sorry," she stated fearfully upon seeing a brief hint of sadness in Hook's eyes after she did so.

"No, I'm the one who's sorry," he responded gently without looking back into her eyes again. "I don't know what came over me. I just… I thought you might have felt it too, but…"

The Queen shook her head and interrupted him saying, "I did feel it. I'm not sure how you and I have come to become so… I mean, you're Captain Hook and I'm the Evil Queen. Not that we don't deserve to find love again because we were once villains. But… falling in love with me is a bad idea, Hook. I've been in love twice in my life, with Daniel and Robin. And they're both gone now. Because of me."

Hook began to caress her cheek again while he steadfastly answered, "You're wrong about that, Regina. Daniel was killed because your mother made a choice to hurt you. And Robin died protecting you from Hades' wrath. They died because of other villains' cruel actions, not because you didn't deserve their love. We've become the heroes we are now because we both decided not to allow fate, or destiny determine what becomes of us. If you think I'm afraid that someone will come along to try to destroy what I feel for you now by threatening my life, you're wrong. I want whatever this is, be it love or something else… to work out between us. I'm willing to risk everything, as I've always done for Alice too. Please don't allow your fear to get in the way. You deserve to be happy in every way."

"Then… I suppose I'm willing to risk everything too," Regina replied happily, as she used the back of her hand to wipe away the joyful tears that began to slip from the corners of her eyes, then laughed before they finally continued to kiss one another again and again.

When his memory reminding him of his love for Regina faded, it wasn't long before yet another memory took its place as he thought back to his final night with his daughter before Gothel had appeared once again in his life and stole him away from Alice before he had been forced to listen to her cry out to him, pleading with her father to rescue her.

 _"Hey," Hook heard to himself whisper to his daughter in comfort upon hearing her awaken from a terrible nightmare that frightened her deeply, then watched and listened as he walked over to her bed, set down the lantern on the table beside her before sitting with her so he could comfort her. "Don't worry. It was just a bad dream."_

 _His young daughter looked up at him with fear and tears in her eyes as she responded, "I saw the witch again. She's coming for me."_

 _As he laid his hand gently over her arm comfortingly, Hook answered worryingly, "It was just a nightmare."_

 _"It's not!" she cried out pleadingly, begging her father to understand her. "It's real! You have to believe me."_

 _"You do see the world in a special way, Alice," Killian replied softly while he pulled Alice against him in an embrace, wrapping his arm around her to hold her until he pulled back again before he continued. "If you say the dream means something, then I believe you."_

 _His daughter smiled up at him and he down at her, until he turned his eyes away in thought, then quickly stood again and walked over to the wall of the tower where he kept his sword to sheath the blade into his scabbard at his side while she asked him, "What are you doing?"_

 _As he did so, he responded, "Making sure the dream doesn't come true. I'm getting you out of this tower, once and for all."_

 _"But how?" Alice questioned. "You've tried everything."_

 _"Almost everything," Hook corrected her while he continued to stand before her. "The truth is… there is one more thing I can try. It's a dark path that I always feared to take, but… I don't have any other choice."_

 _The Captain struggled to keep his emotions in check, then walked over to her again and picked up the white knight piece from the chess board lying out upon the table beside them as he held it out to her while he smiled down at her and said gently, "Keep this close by. To remember me."_

 _She reached out to take it from him as she fearfully whispered, "I'm scared, Papa. What if something happens to you?"_

 _"What, happens to me?" he answered almost playfully in an attempt to comfort her even more by reminding her he was a survivor so she wouldn't worry too much. "Come on. I'll be fine. And I swear… I will return as soon as I can."_

 _"Then take this to remember me," Alice replied after she turned her head to the chess set again and reached out to pick up her own piece that would remind him of her too… the black rook._

 _Killian took it from her, then laughed until he responded solemnly, "My little rook. You are the bravest girl I know. Look… soon all of this will be over, and all the chess pieces will be together again."_

 _The last that Hook saw before his second memory faded away to bring him back to his pain was as he stood again and bent over his daughter to kiss her tenderly on top of her head before he finally turned to walk away while he finished preparing for his journey, which would soon become his deepest regret._

Mother Gothel continued to kneel over her prisoner while she grew impatient, then asked again, "Well… does your love belong to me?"

"No pa… pain, or magic is powerful… enough to get me… me to love you," Killian answered weakly, as he struggled to look up at her once he was somewhat able to open his eyes again, then turned his head away from her. "My love for them… for my daughter and Regina, is too strong. I know wh… who I am, and who you… who you are."

"It appears the pirate's will and vigor are far stronger than either of us hoped," Madame Leota replied darkly as she spoke up again from within her crystal ball. "I should have foreseen this would happen. However… I have foreseen a part of his future while trapped under the darkness of your curse, Mother Gothel. Under its thrall and through your efforts, this man will become vulnerable without all memory of who he is and of those he loves. Of those who love him too. Render him weak and powerless. Only then will he finally fall to your absolute power over him as his obsession for you grows."

Hook looked in fear towards the medium, then he painfully uttered, "No… no. You're wro… wrong. You can… you can't…"

However, the pirate lying beneath Gothel's touch fell silent and his body stilled when he slowly lost consciousness under the anguish forced upon his body, then the villainess who tormented him smiled while she continued to caress his cheek as she pompously stated, "Thank you for your foresight, Madame Leota. One day, we and our sisters will at last have all that we deserve. We just must be patient."


	17. Chapter 17

Whipping Boy

Chapter Seventeen

Meanwhile, in the past…

After Gold vanished from before Alice and Regina, he transported himself to the lair in which he'd been staying since his first arrival within the New Enchanted Forest, where he kept up a shrine for his late wife as a reminder to him so he would never forget to keep trying to be the man Belle always saw in him even when he wasn't the hero he was trying to be now. He took a moment to tenderly lay his hand over her face within her picture, then shuffled through some of his things before he found what he had come there for… a few magic beans to open up a portal.

Once Gold tossed it in front of him and the portal to another world opened, he stepped through the golden ring the portal was made of and vanished from one world and into another, as he thought of the version of the Enchanted Forest of which he was most familiar with, or more specifically… his old castle which he hadn't resided in since he had been arrested by Prince Charming, Cinderella, and her Prince, Thomas, so long ago and became a prisoner within a dungeon made just for him before the Evil Queen's first dark curse swept over them to transport them all to Storybrooke.

Once he appeared within the fortress, Gold made his way to the library where a number of the magical artifacts he had collected over the centuries he'd been the evilest villain he's ever been, laid out in the open as he began to search for one artifact in particular that might help them to entrap Lady Tremaine so they could save Hook.

He had to admit that while he wasn't necessarily friends with the pirate captain within either Storybrooke or the Wish Realm, Alice's father was not the same man his oldest enemy had once been and therefore he didn't have as much of a grudge against the Wish Realm version of the man. He knew it was wrong for him to punish this Hook for something his former enemy had done. As it was, both men had pushed aside their own lusts for revenge against the other and became heroes in their own rights, just as Gold himself fought to be. Plus… he liked Alice and he cared about her. So, if her father was in trouble, he was willing to do whatever he had to do to help her to save him.

After nearly a half an hour of searching, the Dark One finally found what he was looking for as he picked up a couple of books lying open to take them off of the magical artifact beneath them, then picked up the magic wand which he also had killed Cinderella's own Fairy Godmother for, like Lady Tremaine had done herself in order to gain possession of her own from her stepdaughter's Fairy Godmother.

As he stared down at the wand now in his hands, a voice sounded from behind as a young woman spoke coldly saying, "Well… I see you've killed another poor Fairy Godmother for her wand too. You and my mother have more in common than I would have expected."

Gold turned around without showing his surprise upon finding Drizella now standing before him along with a few men of her own, but he looked at her sternly while he asked, "What is it that brings you all the way here to a land of which you are completely unfamiliar with. And to the Dark One's castle no less? It wasn't a very smart decision on your part… now was it?"

"I came to your lair back in our world hoping we could talk and I watched you pass through a portal," she replied casually as she motioned for her men to stand down upon seeing them attempt to pull out their swords with which they thought they could fight the Dark One with. "So, I followed after you. I have to admit, I was curious why you were leaving. Is that wand all you've come here for?"

"My business has nothing to do with you, so tell me what it is you wished to talk with me about and then leave… before I make you a permanent prisoner here like many others before you," the Dark One responded coolly, then walked past her and the thugs to take a seat at the table to listen. "And make it quick. I've got things to do and I don't have much time in which to do them."

Lady Tremaine's older daughter stood firmly before him once again and then she answered, "Very well… I heard my mother has captured one of the rebels and from what I understand, one of your friends as well. I came to offer you a chance to get him back in exchange for some information."

Gold glared at her darkly as he replied, "Let me guess… you have questions about what's needed for the dark curse, which you told the former Evil Queen you intended to cast when you threatened her and your mother after you darkened your heart by killing your betrothed. Am I right?"

"How did you…?" she started to ask until he cut her off.

"Regina told me what happened between you that night and the lessons she taught you before she knew you would become another villain," he interrupted. "Regina herself came to me back when she was he Evil Queen and asked me for the same advice. It's only logical you would do the same. However, back then I wanted the curse to be cast because it was the only way I would finally be reunited with my son. But now… circumstances have changed. I am not that monster I once was and while I'm no hero, I do care about those who are. So my answer to you is no. I don't care what it is you have to offer me. I won't help you discover all you need to cast the dark curse in our world."

Drizella glared at him while she retorted darkly, "Not even if it means I will help you to save Hook? My mother will kill him. He may not be your friend, but he is important to that girl from Wonderland and there are rumors that you do care about her. Would you really be willing to let her down because you won't offer me a little information? And don't worry… I already know the most important ingredient is to crush the heart of the thing you love most."

The Dark One stood up again, then responded, "Once again… who I care about or who I don't is none of your business. Just know that I already have a weapon which will help me and the others to fight against your mother. Plus… I am the Dark One, so she doesn't stand a chance against me. However, I have a feeling the real reason why you're here is because you want to know if there's any way around crushing the heart of the thing you love most, because there is nothing you love any longer. Is there?"

"Not anymore there isn't,' the young woman answered quietly. "Not since my sister was killed all those years ago and my mother's affections fell only onto her. But even then, I was deeply jealous of the relationship they had before Anastasia died. I'm not so sure crushing her heart if she hadn't have died would have worked."

"Why don't you just go talk with Mother Gothel about all of this since she is your new teacher now, and finally leave me in peace?" Gold replied in frustration until he turned around to face her when another realization suddenly dawned on him. "Unless… Unless you were sent here to me in order to keep me distracted while that witch makes a move I will be too late to stop. She's taken Hook away from your mother… hasn't she?"

She smiled and then responded, "You've found me out. And now… you are too late to stop it. By now, Captain Hook is already her captive. And perhaps even a dead man. I have no idea what she wants from him, but I doubt it's for anything good."

He glared at her, then turned around and tossed another magic bean in front of him to open up the portal which would take him home again before he stated, "Yours and Gothel's plans to destroy the heroes will not go like you planned no matter what comes, dearie. You may even succeed in casting the dark curse, but you will not defeat us. I guarantee it. So long."

"So long," Drizella uttered coldly once Rumplestiltskin disappeared through the portal which then closed behind him, and she pulled out a bean of her own so she could open up another portal to take her and her men back to where the powerful tree nymph was waiting for her to return.

Back in Hyperion Heights…

Gold left his apartment he had returned to earlier that morning after he slept for two hours upon leaving the precinct once Regina and Tilly had, then made his way across town until he walked into Baron Samdi's office to confront the voodoo witchdoctor on his involvement in his partner's abduction.

"Well… if it isn't the Dark One, coming into my office to speak with me of all the people here in this lovely neighborhood," the villain said haughtily when Gold entered, as Facilier remained sitting at his desk. "What can I do for you this fine morning?"

Rumple glared at him as he answered, "I just have one question… Why did you have your protégé so to speak abduct my partner the moment he returned to the Heights and then have him turned over to Mother Gothel? What could she possibly have offered you in return? My dagger?"

The witchdoctor smiled and laughed, then he replied, "Technically, that was three questions you asked just now. Two… if you combine the questions about what it is I might have wanted from that witch. But to answer them for you… You're right that I do wish to get my hands on your dagger for reasons that are my own. As for why I abducted your partner for her, it was mostly so that Gothel would be indebted to me even she does fail to steal the dagger for me away from you. It's always good to have powerful people indebted to you… isn't that so, Dark One?"

"The villain I used to be might have thought so, but I'm not that man any longer," Gold responded in frustration, then pulled out his cuffs attached to his belt and held them out towards Samdi before he stepped forward to begin attaching them around Samdi's wrists once he pulled the bigger man to his feet while he yanked his arms behind his back. "Baron Samdi… you are under arrest for conspiracy in the abduction of Detective Rogers. You may have a little magic here in this world right now unlike myself. In time, maybe you will be able to break free. But you can be damn sure I will do whatever I have to do to give justice to my partner after everything that's been done to him. I hope you understand your rights which I'll be reading to you."

"I do," Facilier answered, seeming unfazed by his arrest. "But these charges won't stick."


	18. Chapter 18

Whipping Boy

Chapter Eighteen

After her confrontation with Sidney again after so many years since her magic mirror had evaded capture upon betraying her for the Snow Queen, Regina arrived at the hospital and like Tilly had, she cautiously walked down the hall of the emergency wing. It was early morning, yet the doctors and nurses appeared to be pretty busy, which was surprising, but the Queen was grateful they were too busy to really notice her, or at least who she was. Unfortunately, they didn't have to pay much attention to her presence there, as the two witches within Mother Gothel's coven whom she had found so far, along with a third witch whom Regina didn't yet recognize, suddenly barred her way from Rogers' room when they appeared in front of her and remained standing in front of her.

"I believe Mother Gothel has made it very clear that you're not welcome here, Your Majesty," Draya said darkly when she spoke up first among her sisters. "Detective Rogers isn't yours to love any longer."

"I won't ever stop loving him… married or not because we all know that this so called marriage Gothel claims took place between her and Rogers, is nothing but a sham," Regina answered crossly. "I heard he's been healed. I came to see for myself that he'll be okay."

Minerva smiled and motioned towards the glass window looking into the detective's room, then she replied, "Go ahead and see for yourself though the window. I don't see any harm in that."

When Regina stepped between the two women and walked over to stand in front of the window so she could look inside the room and found Rogers awake while he was listening to Eloise as the coven leader was speaking to him, the third witch walked up behind her, then spoke up too saying, "As you can see, he's doing better than before and he's even awake. He's far from being completely healed, but he's no longer at risk of dying. And Rogers is now breathing on his own without that ghastly breathing tube. At least it's a start."

The Queen who became a bartender and owner when Gothel's dark curse had fallen over her and her friends, stared at the man she loved while she smiled sadly as a tear slipped down her cheek upon seeing him doing better like Tilly had said. However, she quickly reached her hand up to her face to wipe it away when the witch turned her head and grinned callously at her and even waved, which caused Rogers to turn his head towards her as well. Unfortunately, while he stared at her weakly as she too stared at him, Regina saw absolutely no hint of recognition of her in his eyes, which she kept focused on until he turned away again to face the woman he must believe by now was his wife.

"How did Gothel accomplish this?" Regina asked the witches still standing around her when the unknown coven member reached out to grab her shoulder to pull her away from the window, until she swiftly forced the other woman's hand away by shoving it off of her, then glared at her again. "And just who the hell are you?"

"Undoubtedly, you will recognize me by my true name… Madame Leota," she responded quietly, then nodded as she grinned upon seeing the recognition of her name on the former Evil Queen's face. "Yes… that's right. I was the other witch there with Gothel when she abducted the pirate years ago in the Enchanted Forest. So, he did confide in you about what happened to him that evening then."

Roni looked at Leota with surprise as she answered, "He told me all he really knew aside from what he couldn't remember happened to him. That you used your dark magic to electrocute him in a way, while Gothel cast some kind of spell over him. Only… it didn't appear to work. He knows there was more spoken between you and your leader in there, but he was far too weak after the agony you caused him that he couldn't remember more than that. Hook said you were dead. That you were nothing more than a floating head inside a crystal ball. How the hell are you alive now?"

Madame Leota smiled again, then replied, "What do you think Anastasia's power and Victoria Belfrey's death was really for, other than to revive that poor little girl? Thanks to what was drained from both Victoria and Ivy, there was just enough for Gothel to use the resurrection amulet to revive me too. And as for what's been done to poor Detective Rogers in there, that will be for Gothel herself to tell you."

"Now… I think it's about time for you to leave," Draya responded curtly as she wrapped her arm across Regina's shoulders to begin to guide her down the hallway towards the exit doors until the Queen once again shoved her off of her too like she had done with Leota. "Poor Rogers is far too weak right now for anymore company."

"Don't patronize him or me, witch," Regina answered angrily as she glared between the three of them while the women continued to bar her from Rogers' room, then she pulled the newspaper she'd been carrying out from under her arm to hold it out to them. "Tell me one more thing… what is the point of Gothel helping Sidney write a story like this about Rogers?"

Minerva spoke up again smugly as she replied, "I think you already know the answer to that question, Regina. It's just as we attempted to do to him weeks ago before you, Weaver, and that girl thwarted our plans… forcing us to have to come up with a different way to get all we want. This story makes the detective appear weak to all who know him other than those who know him best. To destroy all the good in his life to make him feel that staying with our sister is his only choice. Rogers may not know who he is, neither in this life nor within his past life any longer, but that's why the destruction of his reputation is necessary. Now… like Madame Leota has told you, the rest of this story will be for Gothel herself to tell you or not. Just remember that you cannot stop us this time. This marriage binds Detective Rogers to her and this time… it's completely legal."

Regina shook her head as she seethed in anger, but she kept herself composed while she responded darkly, "Only if Rogers agreed to marry Gothel while in his right mind and we all know damn well he didn't. I'll do whatever it takes to find a way to prove this is all another of Gothel's evil deceptions. We heroes all will."

With that said, the Queen turned and finally left the hospital once again to return to her bar where she hoped her sister and her sister's fiancé already were so she could unburden herself to Zelena. Thankfully, when she arrived and walked inside, she found that they were there, along with Henry, Jacinda, Lucy, and Sabine too.


	19. Chapter 19

Whipping Boy

Chapter Nineteen

A short time earlier…

Eloise Gardener walked back inside Rogers' hospital room once the doctors finished removing the breathing tube from down the detective's throat and then left the woman who claimed to be his wife alone with him after his primary doctor assured her he should be waking up fairly soon now that he was breathing surprisingly well on his own and because his wound had somehow miraculously healed in a way none of the doctors could explain. When they were gone, the villainess sat down in the chair beside his bed, then she reached out to tenderly begin to caress Rogers' cheek like she'd done before to try to coax him awake and it wasn't long before his eyes opened.

The woman he had saved from Victoria Belfrey's imprisonment leaned forward so she would be in his line of sight and then she spoke quietly saying, "You're finally awake. I was so worried, but I'm so happy that you're going to be alright now. The doctors said they are quite impressed by your recovery."

Rogers struggled to keep his eyes opened while he looked up into the woman's eyes leaning in close to him, especially once she took his hand into her own, then he weakly responded, "My throat… throat's dry."

"That's because a breathing tube was just removed from your throat," Eloise replied gently as she picked up a cup from the tray table set up down at the bottom of the bed and carefully handed it to him once he reached out to take it from her. "There's some water here for you. And some ice chips. They should help you. How are you feeling?"

"I don't… I'm not really sure," he nervously answered after he put one of the smaller ice chips into his mouth and swallowed, then lowered his hand back down against the mattress beneath him to try to get it to stop shaking. "Do I know… Do I know you? I'm not even sure who I… am."

The nymph reached out to stroke his cheek again and then she responded, "Your name is Killian Rogers and mine's Eloise. You're my husband. I'm your wife. You were mugged sometime last night and beaten pretty badly. Even stabbed. The doctors and I were afraid for you for awhile. Afraid you weren't going to survive, but… well, you recovered better than they could have ever hoped. You're going to be alright."

Rogers struggled to keep his eyes on her despite how exhausted and weak he felt due to the combination of pain and the drugs now pumping through his system, then he asked, "You and I… we're married? Why can't I remember anything?"

"It's because of how badly you were injured, Killian," Gothel replied, pretending to act and sound concerned for the man she supposedly loved while she gripped his hand tighter after he swallowed a few more ice chips and drank his water she had poured for him. "You were on your way to some bar to have yourself a drink after a rough day yesterday… You had lost your job some time ago and it's been pretty rough on you. But before you arrived, two men mugged you, took your wallet at knifepoint, then they stabbed you in your stomach and ran off to avoid being caught. It was deep, but not as bad as the doctors initially thought. However, you suffered a few hard hits to your head too. You have several more cuts and bruises from being beaten. The doctors think your memories should all come back after time, but… you just need to try to be patient. I promise you, I'm here for you and I will do everything I can to try to help you."

"Have they… caught the men who… who did this?" he continued to question while he weakly worked to readjust his positioning on the bed.

She sighed in frustration and then answered, "No, but you defended yourself the best you could and managed to kill one of them. The other ran off and he has yet to be found."

Rogers looked down at his arm upon feeling his appendage missing, then he fearfully asked, "My hand? There's no… no pain, but… What happened? Was it lost… in the… in the attack?"

"No," Eloise responded more curtly than she intended to be upon growing more and more irritated by his constant questioning, but then she leaned in closer and tenderly kissed Rogers' forehead before she continued. "No, sweetheart. You lost your hand a long time ago. In another accident. But enough with this. We shouldn't talk anymore about this now. I'd like to talk about you and me. Despite your troubles, you and I… we were married a few nights ago. You fell in love with me, and asked me to marry you and of course I said yes."

"How did we meet?" the detective asked.

The villainess was about to continue with her lies until she paused a moment when she turned her head and saw Regina appear in the window, then she grinned smugly and waved at her. Rogers turned his head as well to see what had distracted the woman he believed was his wife, and saw an attractive woman with short black hair staring at him through the window as well and he didn't recognize her, just like he didn't recognize anyone, or anything else. So, he turned his head away to look over again at Eloise.

Gothel turned to face him once more as well and then she replied, "We met a long time ago. Things for were… complicated. For awhile, but we managed to fight our way through it all and love overcame the trials. Try to get some sleep for now, love. You're exhausted. Perhaps later you'll be a little more awake and we can talk some more then. That is… if you're up to it."

Rogers nodded while he closed his eyes and answered, "I'd like… I'd like that."

The villainess smiled smugly, then she laid his hand she was still holding back down against the bed at his side once she saw that Rogers had already fallen asleep. She looked out through the window and saw that her sister witches were still waiting outside the room, but that Regina had left, then she walked out to join with them again.

"So… how did Regina take this morning's news?" Gothel asked coolly while she looked between the women now standing around her. "And the discovery of how I chose to use the life force I stole from Victoria and Ivy? I'm guessing you told her everything?"

"We did," Madame Leota responded with a grin. "As you would imagine, she was quite livid. She continued to insist we won't get away with hurting him, like every hero says in the defense of their loved ones when they're harmed by others. She also knows a little bit about what you and I did to Hook years ago because Hook had spoken to her afterwards about what little he could supposedly remember, but she doesn't know the specifics or why we did as we did. The rest of the story is yours to tell, sister."

The nymph patted Leota's shoulder, then replied, "Thank you, Leota. I'm truly happy to have you back with us again at last."

The medium smiled and then she answered, "As am I, Gothel. As am I."


	20. Chapter 20

Whipping Boy

Chapter Twenty

A few days later, Detective Rogers was released from the hospital, having been so on account of the more serious of his wounds and broken bones being mostly healed just as mysteriously as his knife wound had been healed as well. Still without any memories of his lives as either Rogers or Captain Hook, unaware he was ever a detective and Weaver's partner, that he had a daughter who was also without her own memories of who she really was and who he was to her as far as Gothel knew, that he was ever once in love with the former Evil Queen, and still in the belief he was now married to Eloise Gardener… a villainess he had no idea was completely responsible for his lack of memories and all of the pain he's suffered.

Rogers also had yet to learn about the story written by Sidney Glass to smear his good name, though he couldn't help but notice the strange looks he had received in passing from a number of individuals while he remained in the hospital, as they looked at him like he had done something horribly wrong. Looks from some of the doctors, patients, their loved ones, and especially from any officers who happened to be there for whatever their reasons were for being so.

So… once he signed his discharge papers and had started to wait for Eloise to arrive to come pick him up, it wasn't long before he began to feel uncomfortable with staying in the hospital and finally decided to leave on his own. When he left, he began to walk down the main street which was just as unfamiliar to him as anything and everything else. However, he simply kept walking anyways, until he walked under a sign hanging out from the building beside him and suddenly stopped upon feeling a strange sense of familiarity. Although, when he turned and stared up at the sign which read, Kelly & Roni's Pub, then turned his head to look inside through the windows, there was no recognition he had ever been inside.

He was about to turn away so he could continue walking, until he caught a glimpse of the beautiful dark haired woman he vaguely remembered seeing standing outside of his hospital room the night he had woken up. A part of him knew he should keep walking, or perhaps even head back to the hospital where he should just continue waiting for Eloise before she arrived there and grew worried about him missing. Yet he couldn't shake the urge he felt to walk inside the bar so he could try to understand why he was feeling as he was.

When he opened the door and walked in, Henry was finishing taking care of one of their patrons and was the first one to see Rogers. Upon doing so, the younger man immediately rushed towards his friend and wrapped his arms around him in an embrace, while Rogers did nothing but stand there dumbstruck until Henry finally pulled back.

"Uh… God, Rogers… it's so good to see you again," he then said to him, while Killian only stared at him with no recognition in his eyes which Henry finally noticed when the detective didn't say anything back at first. "Rogers? Are you…"

"Rogers?" Regina suddenly exclaimed happily before Henry could finish questioning his friend what was wrong when she too saw him once she walked up from the basement and then also rushed over to embrace him, until Rogers suddenly took a few steps back with fear in his eyes before she could. "Killian… are you alright?"

Rogers nervously shook his head and replied, "I'm not so sure. Perhaps coming in here was a mistake. I'm sorry."

He turned and was about to leave again until Regina quickly reached out to grab his arm while she pleaded, "Please… don't go. I know that you've been having trouble remembering things. I've heard and I'm so sorry. But I would like to talk with you. You and I… all of us who are working here, we're friends. I'm Roni. This is Henry, then over by the bar is my sister, Kelly and her fiancé, Chad. Please… come with me?"

Rogers glanced over at Henry who simply nodded at him, then he turned back to the woman in front of him again and finally nodded himself before he followed her over to a private table in an enclosed room while he walked past Zelena and Chad who both smiled at him when he passed them. Then they and Henry continued to wait on the rest of the patrons so Regina could focus on helping Rogers.

The bar owner encouraged him to take a seat and was also about to sit down until she quickly motioned to him to wait for a few minutes, then stepped away to ask her sister for some quick advice before they continued to talk. However, when she came back to the table and stood in front of him, she noticed he had become lost in his thoughts as she saw him staring off at nothing and didn't so much as flinch while she took a seat at the table across from him.

"Rogers?" she softly called out to him once she carefully set down the coffees she carried over with her in an effort not to startle him, though he continued to remain unaware of her presence. "Rogers… can you hear me?"

"Killian…" Regina tried again in concern, this time as she reached out to lay her hand gently over his wrapped and bound hand upon it still being slightly broken, then shook it in attempt to gain his attention once and for all. "Hey… are you alright?"

This time, Rogers suddenly became startled despite her efforts not to frighten him, as his head shot up to stare at her again with confusion in his eyes, then finally whispered, "I… I'm sorry. I'm not sure… what brought me in here. I suppose I was… I was looking for something that might feel… familiar? I just don't know what that is. Forgive me… I'm… I don't… I don't remember your name, or… What were we talking about?"

She looked at him sadly, knowing Gothel has been doing something terrible to him in order to keep him in such a confused and weakened state, then shook off her own fear and answered, "Nothing. I'm so sorry for startling you. I really didn't mean to. I just walked over here. We haven't started talking yet. And my name's Roni by the way. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. You seem to be pretty confused… and pale. Does Eloise know you're here?"

"Actually, I don't… think so," he responded nervously without looking at her. "I was discharged from the hospital and I uh… I felt like going for a walk. People were staring at me strangely, so I just had to leave. But… I realize now that I don't have my wi… my wife's number, or know where we live? She must be worried sick…"

"Don't worry, I'm sure she's just fine," Regina retorted curtly, which caused him to look at her again worryingly. "I'm sorry, Rogers… again. It's just that I never really liked Eloise, or trusted her. But I don't mean to trouble you with any of that. I only wanted to see how you were doing."

Killian let out a quiet sigh and then whispered, "I'm fine. I guess. Or I'm… Honestly, I'm not really sure. I feel… strange. Like something's off. I'm just not sure what… or if I'm coming down with something again. Maybe I shouldn't have left. The hospital… I mean."

The Queen gently reached out to lay her hand over his once again, before pulling away to finally pour them a cup of coffee and replied, "Well… for one thing you're looking pretty exhausted, like you haven't been sleeping at all. But I'm glad you're here. You may not remember anything, but somehow you found your way here. It's a place where you frequent often. Or at least you did. Until Eloise…"

"Forgive me for being unable to recall so many details," he answered in concern after the woman sitting across from him cut herself off when she became unsure of how to explain herself. "Since my accident…"

"Your accident?" she interrupted him before he could finish. "Rogers… what exactly do you think happened to you? Did Eloise tell you that you were in some kind of accident?"

Rogers shook his head and responded, "I'm sorry… not an accident. She told me I had been mugged. I'm not sure why I called it an accident. She told me I had been beaten and stabbed, then left for dead. It probably explains why everything's still so hazy… Like it explains my memory loss. You know… why I can't seem to remember anything at all. It's… it's troubling really."

Regina nodded and then she sadly stated, "I can only imagine. But you're going to be alright, Killian. You will. Just try to give it time. Your memory will come back and until it does… and then after, just know I'm here for you. Always. We're friends, so if there's ever anything you need…"

"See… I told you that you shouldn't have left him alone this morning before he was discharged," one of the witches in Gothel's coven suddenly interrupted them, when Minerva walked up to their table after she entered the bar, followed closely by Gothel herself and their other two sisters, while Henry, Chad, and Zelena both immediately came over to stand with Regina as she stood up upon their arrival. "He came right here. Right back to her."

"None of you are welcome here in my sister's and my bar, so I suggest you leave right now," Zelena swiftly called out to them while Rogers weakly and nervously stood up from the table as well upon seeing the cross look in Eloise's eyes, as she stared at him without saying a word, then he started to walk towards her until Regina reached out to hold him back.

She looked at him worryingly and quickly whispered, "It's okay, Rogers. You don't have to go with her. It isn't safe for you to. Eloise isn't your wife… she's hurting you. If you'll just hear me out…"

Gothel finally spoke up as she called out to Rogers while she said, "Sweetheart, you're not to listen to this woman. She's lying to you. Because she's jealous you're in love with me and not her. Before the incident, you struggled much with her unwanted attention and affection. But we can finish this conversation when we get home. It's time you come with me. I'm telling you to come with me because this bar is nothing but trouble, as is this woman. And I don't want you ever coming here again. It's not safe."

"Not safe?!" Regina shouted angrily and started towards the witch until Henry and Chad rushed over to grab her in order to keep her from attacking Gothel while she struggled in their arms. "You're telling him that I'm not safe? You almost killed him!"

"Take my husband out of here and bring him back to our apartment," the villainess then said to her sisters quietly, while Rogers looked between both Eloise and Regina in confusion and fear until he finally walked away with the women when they came over to him to guide him away.

Regina continued to cry out to him desperately shouting, "Listen to me, Rogers… you can't listen to anything she says! Whatever she tells you about me… it isn't true. Please, you can't believe her because she's evil! She isn't your wife!"

Once Rogers was gone along with her sisters after they pulled him out of the bar, the villainess turned back to Regina, as well as the others, then spoke to her darkly saying, "Take a seat, Roni. You and I have some things to discuss. Only I insist you send your sister and your friends here away if you wish to hear what I have to say. And believe me… you do."


	21. Chapter 21

Whipping Boy

Chapter Twenty-One

After having gone a few days without seeing Tilly since the night she learned the truth about magic and her parents being Rogers and Eloise, despite his efforts to seek her out and talk with her, Gold again walked into the apartment building where his partner lived, then knocked on the door of Rogers' apartment where he knew the young woman was still hiding out in order to avoid him, as well as Regina and everyone else. He understood she was angry with him and Regina, as well as confused, but he couldn't leave her alone any longer. So, he knocked twice and yet she didn't answer the door. Knowing she wouldn't unless he could convince her to let him in, Gold finally just began to talk loud enough through the door hoping she would at least listen to him.

He called out to her saying, "Tilly… I know you're in there. Please let me in so I won't have to keep shouting through the door. I will if I have to, but I'd really prefer to come in so I can make sure you're alright."

Not too surprising, Tilly suddenly shouted back, "Go away! Leave me alone! I don't want to talk to you right now. I told you I needed time alone. I'm fine."

"Look… I know that things between us… the way things were left open when we last talked were… a bit rocky," Weaver continued, despite her imploring him to leave her be. "What we told you was a lot for you to take in and incredibly difficult to grasp. Just as it would be for anyone. I know it and for that, I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?!" she retorted angrily, then unlatched the locks over the door and yanked it open so she could finally face the senior detective. "You're sorry? I've finally learned that the reasons I've felt so close to Rogers all this time… is because he's my father. And that the vile woman who's hurt him… who's kidnapped him and has done unspeakable things to him… is my mother. But all that I can grasp you say? I know it in my heart Rogers is my father and honestly I couldn't be happier. Afraid because of the whole magic thing, but happy too. What I don't understand is the magic thing and what it is that could possibly cause me to forget all this in the first place. If it's true…"

 _Weaver stepped inside and closed the door again behind him when Tilly turned away to let him do so while she added, "…then lots of people are right next to the truth and they don't even know it. It's cruel, really… To be so close to happiness and kept so far away from it."_

The senior detective took a seat at the table across from her when she too sat down and answered, "You're more right than you know."

"But do you want to know why I'm really mad?" Tilly then questioned when she turned her head to look over at Weaver again, before he could attempt to say more about why her true memories were missing. "It's that you and Roni knew all of this for however long you have and you never told me. You never told anyone, not even your own partner! You knew I believed my father was dead all this time and yet he's been so close. I could've told him I loved him. I could have been there for him as his daughter to support him through all of the pain he's suffered through. I could have begged him to stay here in the Heights and been here to support him instead of him feeling like he was all alone… like he had to suffer through all of this alone! Why didn't you tell me?!"

"Tilly… if you will trust me one last time, like you've been willing to trust me both until now and before this curse tore all our lives as we knew them apart, then stop taking your medication and allow what you fear is your madness in," Gold responded pleadingly. "Please trust me. I assure you that everything will begin to make more sense to you, and you will understand why we've done as we have."

She stood up again while she shook her head in frustration, then replied, "I've already started weaning myself off my pills. Two days ago. That's another reason why I've been avoiding you, so you wouldn't see me like this until my head was clearer. Why else do you think I've been acting so erratic? My head feels funny. I hate it, but it's helped me to believe that magic is real. That this curse as you call it is actually real. But my memories… they're so hazy. I remember some things, but they mostly feel like they're nothing more than dreams. And nightmares. How long is it supposed to take?"

He looked up at her and in honesty he answered, "I don't know. But you don't have to go through it alone."

"You mean like my papa's suffering alone?!" the young woman shouted angrily at him again, then breathed in and out to try to calm down. "I'm sorry. I want to trust you have your reasons for not telling us the truth."

"Tell me about some of your memories you feel are returning," Weaver encouragingly responded. "Even if you feel like they're only dreams, or nightmares."

Tilly glanced down at him and finally sat down again as she whispered, "All right. There is this one that's more… prominent on my mind I guess. I see my Papa… Did I always call my father, Papa?"

The senior detective nodded and then she continued, "I like it. Well… I see my Papa talking with someone who… has green scaly skin like a crocodile and this person looked a lot like… like you."

"That's because it was me," the Dark One replied sternly. "It's how I used to look before at times when the darkness inside of me came at its worst. But we can talk about that later. Go on."

Tilly nodded again and then began to recall her memory the best she could. And while she spoke in jumbled sentences on account of all she was remembering being fractured, Gold himself knew exactly what memory was on her mind as he too recalled that night just before Gothel's dark curse swept over them.

 _"_ _Rumplestiltskin, we need your help," Hook called out to him as he came up to the Dark One while at his spinning wheel and giggling, then the Captain continued to explain his reason for coming to talk with him._ _"_ _Gothel has freed Drizella._ _The prophecy is coming true._ _Surely you've got some kind of magic that can stop this curse."_

 _The Dark One quickly pulled out a small white elephant carved from ivory and held it out towards the pirate, who reached out to try to take it from him until Rumple pulled back while he answered giddily, "_ _Well… I do have this._ _A white elephant._ _Are you familiar with the expression? A name we give to things who have outlived their useful lives, and yet persist._ _And I find that personally quite moving."_

 _Suddenly Hook managed to snatch it away from him the second time he tried as he impatiently retorted, "_ _Enough games._ _Will this help stop the curse from happening?"_

 _"Stop it?" Rumplestiltskin questioned. "No, dearie._ _Nothing can stop it._ _But when the curse comes, that can keep your most precious relationship intact."_

 _Hook stared down at the elephant in his hand as he whispered, "_ _Alice._ _So we will remember who we are?"_

 _The Dark One appeared to be about to say yes until he quickly stated, "No. Your memories will be replaced. But in the random tumult of the curse, it ensures you will still be father and daughter."_

 _"You're doing this for me?" his former enemy turned friend asked as he looked down at Rumple once again._

 _Rumple giggled and then pointed towards the tree behind him as he responded, "I'm doing it for her."_

 _When Hook turned around and saw his daughter standing there wearing a red cloak with a hood over her head to conceal most of her face from him, he started towards her as he called out, "Alice?"_

 _"Are you sure this is still where you want to be?" he continued after Alice moved away from him to keep from hurting him again because of the poison over his heart, as he stood back in understanding._

 _"Knowing what he gave up for me, I owe it to him to stay by his side," she replied sadly while she kept her eyes between her father and her friend. "And who knows, maybe our cursed memories would be better."_

 _Hook looked down again at the ivory carving still in his hand, then glanced towards her again and answered, "Fewer trees and walls in the way."_

 _She nodded as she uttered, "Yes."_

 _"But, Papa…" Gold continued to recall the young woman say until he was pulled from the memory again when Tilly suddenly shook his shoulder to regain his attention._

"Weaver… you okay?" she asked him in concern, until he looked again into her eyes to show he was back with her. "What happened to you?"

He nodded, then responded, "Nothing. I'm fine. I was just recalling the memory myself. I didn't mean to become lost in thought like that. I heard what you said though. You appear to be a bit confused… Or you're struggling with something you were remembering?"

Tilly sighed and replied, "It's just that I… I saw you give my Papa something… an ivory elephant, I think it was. The Crocodile… I mean, you… you told him how it was something that would ensure he and I would remain father and daughter. He took it. I'm assuming he must have kept it and yet… and yet neither of us remembered being father and daughter. Why?"

"Because… your father made a heavy sacrifice just before the curse fell over us all the next morning," Weaver answered her with assurance. "He gave the elephant to another of our friends, who worried for her own daughter. So that they would remain mother and daughter instead. Because Rogers… your father believed it was the right thing to do. As much as it pained him to give it up. To give you up. He loves you very much, Tilly. And he's very proud of you."

"Please… please tell me he's going to be alright, Weaver," Hook's daughter whispered fearfully. "We have to save him from Eloise. I won't lose him again now that I remember who he is. I can't."

The senior detective reached out to lay his hand over one of her own, then steadfastly he responded, "I swear to you, Tilly… we will all do everything in our power to save him from Eloise. As much as it surprised me, your father has become my friend. The closest friend I've ever had. And I'm not about to risk having to make an effort to make another one. That witch will pay for all she's done to him."

She smiled at her friend nervously, as she reached up to her face to wipe away the tears that had fallen, then she quietly replied, "Thank you. Not just for helping me save my father, but for… for helping me with my memories too. Let's go make Eloise Gardener pay."


	22. Chapter 22

Whipping Boy

Chapter Twenty-Two

Once Henry, Zelena, and Chad reluctantly walked away from Regina and the villainess responsible for everything going on with Rogers' pain and his new lost memories to return to work, Gothel smiled at them coolly through the windows of the room, then sat down at the table where Rogers had been sitting a few minutes ago while she looked up at the woman who truly loved him with a smug grin on her face and waited for Regina to take a seat as well. The Queen finally sat down across from her and neither of them spoke until Gothel broke the silence.

"It must be nice to have your son and your sister here working with you to keep this lovely establishment going," the witch stated callously as she turned again to watch the others outside of the room, who kept glancing towards them as well out of worry for Regina. "And your sister's fiancé… It's really something he seems so open to the truth of who and what we all really are. Don't you think so, Roni?"

"Cut the crap and let's talk about what it is you really want to talk about," Regina curtly retorted while she kept her eyes angrily on the villainess before her. "According to what Weaver's found out so far, Rogers returned to the Heights two weeks ago and he's been your prisoner ever since then, until last night when he managed to escape from you. So just what the hell have you really done to Rogers in all that time? Other than getting married that is. I know Sidney forged Rogers' signature and the rest of that paperwork for you. But has he been drugged? Is that why he's so out of it, or why his memories are gone?"

Gothel leaned forward and began to pour herself some coffee which the bar owner had brought out for her and Rogers, then sat back as she took a sip before she responded, "I will answer your questions, Regina. But first I need to know that you're not attempting to record our conversation so you can try to use it against me like Weaver might have you do. And you should know you'll never stop me by taking the legal route, even if it is the only way you have right now. Prison bars will never keep me detained even if you were to entrap me here and now."

Roni poured herself a cup of coffee as well and then answered, "There's no tape recorder or phone that's recording this conversation right now. But if you really believe no legality is powerful enough to entrap you, then why worry? And by the way, we both know Sidney is no lawyer. He's nothing but a sleazy newspaper writer."

"It's been a long time since you've known him, Regina," the witch replied smugly. "He is a lawyer now as well. But let's get back to the more important questions at hand. You want to know what I've done with the man you and I both love. My darling husband."

"You don't love him!" the former Evil Queen suddenly shouted at her angrily. "You've only become obsessed with making him suffer because he rejected you all those years ago in that tower so he could take care of his daughter. Because he chose love over hate."

Gothel smiled cruelly again as she responded, "You're right. And I do enjoy making him suffer. For the simple pleasure it brings me to have absolute power and control over him. Our marriage despite you believing it to be real or not, ensures I can keep hurting him. You might not know this, but I was born from a family of tree nymphs, which is what gives me the power I have. Power to grow plants and flowers from hardly nothing at all... among other abilities. I created a toxin which I've been drugging Rogers with every few days since he was returned to my care two weeks ago. A toxin which helps to keep his mind hazy so he wouldn't fight against me so much. But for the toxin to work, I needed his mind and spirit to be broken first. His beatings and his burns are the result. I just never anticipated that in a moment of clarity, Rogers would be able to escape by breaking the bones in his own hand to get free from his bindings so he could. And him being stabbed by one of the men working for me wasn't meant to happen either. As for his memories… I used my power to pull them out one wisp at a time to steal back what made him Rogers too. It was draining to be sure, since my magic is still very weak. But it was all worth it. Alice always saw him as her white knight, just like Tilly sees him now. And both Hook and Rogers was a white knight for all those he loved. But I've stripped him of that role at last. Like I attempted to do years ago."

Regina fought her tears and her anger back, then spoke again as she asked, "You mean years ago when you abducted Hook and held him prisoner in Memento Mori until he finally managed to escape from you then too? Rogers' infatuation with you… the reason why he hasn't been able to rid himself of the feelings and guilt he's felt towards you since the curse fell over us… the torture you inflicted upon him them… That was the dark spell you attempted to cast over him only to have it fail, wasn't it? The burns on his body are from being electrocuted."

"I underestimated Hook's strength and will," the villainess answered darkly. "He knew back then who he was and who I am. But not anymore, he doesn't. The spell might not have worked then, but it stayed within him… waiting for me to finally rid him of the white knight inside of him. He's mine now, Regina."

"We won't stand for this, Gothel," Regina steadfastly replied. "Rogers isn't your whipping boy, just like Hook was never your whipping boy. There's a way to break any curse or dark spell and we will find it. I will find it."

Gothel finally stood and then responded, "True loves kiss won't help you. Not now that he has no memory of who you are in either life. No memory of ever loving you. If you'll excuse me… I need to be getting back home to my husband."

Regina stood too as Gothel turned her back to her, then the nymph smiled coolly when the Queen called out after her shouting, "All of this wasn't just for the pleasure of tormenting him! There's another reason behind all this too. What do you want?!"

"That's the right question," the villainess smugly answered. "Tilly. I've finally taken her father and now I'm going to take back my daughter too. Like I should have done long ago. I know now just how truly special she is. Hurting Rogers helps me to convince her to join me. If you stand in my way of getting her back, he will suffer more. Good day, Regina."

A short time later…

When Gothel returned to her apartment, she found her sisters sitting around the dining room table waiting for her to walk in, then after pulling off her coat, she dropped it onto the back of the couch in the living room and looked towards the bedroom where the door was slightly open before she finally sat down to join Leota, Minerva, and Draya.

"How is he doing?" their leader questioned while she looked around at her sisters. "Has he spoken about what happened at the bar at all?"

Draya shook her head as she replied, "He hasn't said a word to us. But it's obvious he's pretty confused. He's waiting for you in the bedroom. We suggested he try to get some rest since he was just released from the hospital, but instead he's been sitting on the side of the bed staring off at the wall or nothing at all."

Gothel nodded, then responded, "I don't expect anything different. You know that his silence and confusion are effects from the toxin spreading through his body as we speak. It won't be long until he becomes nothing more than a mindless slave and the toxin will no longer be necessary. Now, if you'll excuse me… I should probably go see to my husband now."

She stood up again and walked towards the bedroom as she pushed the open door a bit wider so she could enter, closed it again behind her, then looked down at Rogers who didn't make an effort to look up at her at all. Instead, he continued staring off at the wall until the woman he was led to believe was his wife sat down beside him on the bed and he was once again startled from his thoughts like he's been so many times since waking up in the hospital.

"Forgive me, sweetheart," Eloise whispered gently and then reached up as she began to run her fingers tenderly through his hair once he turned to look her in her eyes. "I can only imagine how confused you must be feeling right now… after that scene back at the bar. I wish I had taken the time to tell you about that woman sooner, but…"

"Is it really true?" Rogers asked nervously upon interrupting her. "About her… Roni being dangerous? I spoke with her. She didn't seem to be trouble. She was very kind. And why would she accuse you of being dangerous too? Why would she say you almost killed me? I'm not sure how, or why, but… somehow I felt perfectly safe there with her. When I left the hospital, I felt drawn to walk inside her bar like it was a place I was familiar with."

She looked at him coldly as she answered darkly, "Like I said, Killian… you're only feeling confused. The doctors have you on some pretty heavy pain medication and you're struggling with trying to regain your memories far too fast. You need to give it time. They will come back naturally in time."

He turned away from her again, then stood up and crossed him arms to try to keep his hands from shaking as he replied, "I want to believe you, Eloise. I do. It's just… something's wrong. There's this feeling in me… Something isn't right, but I don't know what it is. I don't understand it."

"Why don't you just lie down on the bed and allow me to help you to relax?" the nymph gently responded when she stood up again and then leaned in to try to kiss him until he turned his head away from her upon feeling uncomfortable by her advances.

"No… I'm sorry," Rogers stated weakly without looking at her as he attempted to move away until she grabbed him roughly by his arm and pulled him against her again while she continued to kiss him on his lips, cheeks, and neck. "This… this is wrong. I don't… I can't do this."

When she finally stopped a moment to shove him backward onto the bed, she began to pull off her clothes, then straddled him as she sat over his lap while she looked into his eyes crossly despite his struggle to resist her and answered, "We are now husband and wife. And as my husband, it is your duty to please me. Even if it makes you feel uncomfortable to do so. I had hoped you would be past this stubborn resistance you have to make love to me by now."

Gothel started to pull off his shirt to begin to undress him as well while she continued to kiss him, then she suddenly blew more of her toxin into Rogers' face to render him submissive once again and in between doing so she continued, "You are clearly not quite as broken as I thought. But you soon will be, love. Now come on… lie on the bed. Your mind and your body are mine now, to do with as I please. You won't ever leave from here to go see that other woman in the bar, or anyone else from your past again. I do love you, Killian. That's all you need to know. Now relax. Do you understand?"

"Yes," he whispered faintly.

Mother Gothel smiled cruelly and forced him back onto the bed once she finished stripping him of the rest of his clothes, then did as she had done to him weeks ago when she abducted him the first time, as well as like she had done to him back on the night they first met so many years ago. Only back then he had made love to her far more willingly, as she hoped he would one day again.

Much later into that evening, she finally finished, then rolled over beside the man lying next to her once her toxin and exhaustion caused him to lose consciousness. The nymph smiled and turned her head to look over at him while she reached up to trace her fingers along the side of his face, then thought back to the morning after their first night together.

 _"_ _That was a hell of a night, love," Captain Hook said proudly as he stood up from the bed where he had made love with Rapunzel, the beautiful woman standing at the window of the tower as she looked out of it, whom he believed to be innocent, then returned his cutlass to his scabbard once again at his side now that he was dressed again and finally walked over to stand behind her._

 _She smiled smugly and then turned around to face the pirate while she replied, "Yes, it was._ _Can't quite remember another like it."_

 _As he leaned in close to kiss her once again, he responded, "Aye."_

 _"_ _What the hell was that?" he then asked strangely when he was suddenly interrupted by the sound of a baby crying from within the back of the room and turned to look for the source._

 _"_ _That little cry…" she began as the baby cried even louder, then reached up to caress Hook's left cheek before she walked away from him to move over to the child's bassinette. "…is the sound of my freedom."_

 _Hook followed after her while he asked again more curtly, "Where did you get a baby from?"_

 _Rapunzel leaned down to pick up the baby as she answered, "The usual place. Like you said, it was quite a night."_

 _"_ _No, no, no, no, no," he uttered in disbelief of what she was trying to tell him. "That can't be. It's not possible."_

 _"_ _Not if there's magic involved," she replied coldly, and then suddenly transformed into her true self to reveal to him what she really was._

 _Killian stared at her in shock at first until he quickly pulled his sword from its scabbard again to defend himself should she attack, then spoke again saying, "You… you're the witch."_

 _She looked down at the child no longer crying while in her arms and then looked back at him again as she responded cruelly, "I prefer Gothel. I have to say, I had no idea getting what I needed was going to be that enjoyable."_

 _"_ _If you're the witch who guards the tower, then where's Rapunzel?" he questioned while continuing to hold his blade out._

 _"_ _Oh, that's a tragic tale," Gothel answered coldly when she finally laid their baby back down within her bassinette again. "I built the tower to imprison Rapunzel. But she managed to turn the tables and trapped me instead."_

 _Hook glared at her darkly while he finally lowered the cutlass and replied, "That's why you needed the flower."_

 _The witch walked up to him again and began to seduce him, reaching up to caress his face once more as she retorted, "Not the flower, but you. The flower imprisoned me, which means it couldn't free me."_

 _"_ _The only way I can escape this prison is by leaving someone in my bloodline to take my place," she continued when Killian resisted her advances by turning his head away from her and returned to the tower's window, then raised her hand to test the magical barrier keeping her trapped inside until it vanished, indicating she was finally free at last as she gasped with relief and exhaled._

 _"_ _That's where you came in," Gothel added when she turned around again to look at her lover once more. "The power from the petal just sped up the process. But don't worry. I left you a petal. It's small, but there's more than enough magic for what you need. Shall we?"_

 _When she indicated she wished for him to leave with her from the tower, Killian asked angrily, "So, you're just gonna leave and abandon this baby here?"_

 _The witch rolled her eyes when he suddenly became noble, then said, "Oh, don't look at me like that."_

 _"_ _You're a pirate on a quest for revenge," Gothel responded darkly as she walked up to him again and roamed her hand over his chest to try to allure him to follow her while he struggled to keep on resisting her. "I'm sure more than one innocent person has paid the price on that little journey. What do you say I come with you and help you get your revenge, and then you come with me and help me get mine?"_

 _"_ _You got what you needed…" Hook answered with finality as he suddenly pulled her hand away. "…and so did I. Let's leave it at that, shall we?"_

 _She stared at him with coldness in her eyes while she replied, "Suit yourself… love."_

 _Gothel sauntered back to the window, then climbed up onto its threshold after she glanced back at him and added cruelly, "And don't brood for too long."_


	23. Chapter 23

Whipping Boy

Chapter Twenty-Three

Inside Kelly & Roni's Pub…

Once Gothel left the bar after the villainess finished gloating cruelly to the Queen about all she had done to Rogers, Regina stood shakily from the table while she fought to quell her anger towards that vile woman to keep from losing control of her temper, and as her fear for the man she loved threatened to overwhelm her. She stood inside the enclosed room for a few minutes in silence as her mind dwelled on the witch's words, then Regina finally walked out into the main room of the bar, where Zelena immediately started towards her sister in hope of being of some comfort to her and to try to find out what Gothel told her.

However, Regina stormed past the older sister with determination in her eyes, and Henry who also took a few minutes between helping the patrons around them to see if he could be of any help to her as well, then Zelena questioned, "Regina… what are you doing? You're not seriously thinking about going after her? What happened? What did she tell you?"

Regina glared at Kelly while she retorted, "Everything! All right? She told me every sick and rotten thing she's ever done to him. And yet all I have is my word against hers. So yeah, I'm going after her. I'm going to storm into her apartment and take Rogers out of there myself."

"As much as I would love nothing more than to help you do that, Roni… you know as well as I do that we can't fight against her or her cult right now," Zelena replied firmly while she grabbed her sister by her arms to calm her down, as she stared Regina straight in her eyes to try to convey the reminder that they were dealing with a witch who possessed the only magic in Hyperion Heights as far as they knew, without saying so in front of Henry or Margot who were also working that afternoon. "You need to try to relax and wait to hear from Weaver. He's doing everything he can to help Rogers, but you know the only one who can really help him now…"

"Is Tilly," the Queen whispered more calmly after she understood Zelena's gaze, then turned away from everyone and faced the bar in order to keep them from seeing her begin to cry again.

Zelena took a few steps back when Henry reached out to lay his hand down on his adopted mother's shoulder to try to comfort her, but before he or anyone else could say anything more, Regina spoke despondently saying, "I need some time alone. I'll be out on the patio. Keep everyone seated inside and leave me alone unless we really get slammed."

Her sister and friends watched her step away to walk out onto the patio until Regina sat down at one of the tables before they all got back to work. A few minutes later, Lucy came running inside the bar followed closely by Jacinda, who arrived to take over for Henry once his shift ended, and Sabine, who came with them to grab a quick drink with her friends before she too returned to work herself alongside Drew in their food truck.

Carrying Henry's book in her hands, Lucy looked around for Regina and started to head out onto the patio to join her until Kelly called out to her, "Lucy… I'm afraid Roni needs a little time alone, sweetheart. How about you talk to me about whatever you wanted to talk to her about. That way your mother and Henry can have a few minutes to themselves. Sabine too of course."

"Sure," the young girl responded, seeing the woman she knew to be the former Wicked Witch from her father's book and the storybook of fairytales too, as Zelena winked at the adults standing behind her by the bar. "I know what that wink means."

"Of course you do," Kelly stated, then she guided Lucy into the room where Regina had emerged from not more than ten minutes before so they could talk away from the patrons who might look down on there being a child inside a bar during business hours. "So… what were you hoping to talk with Regina about today? Is everything all right?"

Lucy opened up the book in her hands and shuffled through the pages while she answered quietly, "Everything's fine. Or at least between the rest of us aside from Rogers and Regina that is. Is it true?"

Zelena looked at her in confusion as she asked, "Is what true?"

"Sorry…" the girl quickly replied. "Is Regina in love with Rogers? I heard my mom and Henry talking nights ago after we left the hospital. Henry was telling her how Regina admitted to him that she loved him. Is it true?"

"Very much so," the Wicked Witch responded to her sadly, then looked down at the pages which Lucy had opened up to and stared at a picture of herself with baby Robin in her arms while still living in Storybrooke, along with Regina, Emma and Hook, a much younger Henry, Granny, Snow and David with baby Neal, as well as Gold and Belle with baby Gideon too, as they were all sitting together in celebration just after the final battle had been won.

She then glanced over at Lucy and saw a look of confusion and even sadness on her face as she asked, "Is there something wrong? What about this picture from your father's book has you so puzzled?"

The young girl sighed and then answered, "From this book, I've figured out that Rogers is really Captain Hook. He's identical to this picture of him and the fact that Hook wears a hook for his hand, whereas Rogers wears a prosthetic hand instead because of the curse of course. The point is, they're both missing a hand. I just don't understand how his one true love is Emma, yet here Regina's allowed herself to fall in love with him."

"No… Oh, Lucy… that's not it at all," Zelena quickly replied upon understanding why she was worried. "Yes… Rogers is Captain Hook, but he's a different version of him. Rogers is from the Wish Realm and from your father's book, you know it was a world created from a wish Emma made some time ago."

"So, you're saying that Rogers isn't real then?" Lucy questioned sadly.

Kelly sighed and then responded again, "Oh… no he's very real, sweetheart. He's as real as you and me. He may have been conjured from a wish, but magic gave him and everyone else born within the Wish Realm life as precious as all of ours. It's a very real world. As it so happens, both the Hook from Storybrooke who is in love with Emma, and Hook from this Wish Realm, one day met in the Enchanted Forest that was our home before the curse washed over us and in the end, Wish Hook stayed with Henry to look after your father for Emma, as well as so they could work together to save his daughter. Over time, he and Regina fell in love. Only… It's quite complicated really. Do you understand any of what I said by any chance?"

Lucy nodded as she answered, "I think so. Kind of. Will Rogers be okay? And Regina?"

"I hope so," the former Wicked Witch replied sadly. "Hook from Storybrooke and I were never really friends until perhaps the last few years I lived there. And while our Hook… Rogers that is, and I haven't always been all that close either… since forming friendships has never been something I was good at, I do consider him a good friend. While my daughter's still been trapped under this curse, she and I do not get along too well. Although, things have been a little better lately. My point is… Even for a long time outside of the curse while she was growing up, we didn't usually get along either. But then one day she had been manipulated by Gothel, who encouraged her to defy me so she could become an all-powerful witch. Only Gothel lied to her and I tried to warn Robin how dangerous Gothel really was. She just wouldn't listen to me. I was powerless at the time and so I had nearly given up on my daughter because I was afraid I would never be able to fight against Gothel and her lure of magic. However, Hook reminded me that I could."

Years ago in the New Enchanted Forest, just after Lucy had been born…

 _"_ _Hey! Hey!" Hook of the Wish Realm suddenly called out to Zelena, who had stormed away while he chased after her once they left Robin behind in Memento Mori with Gothel and Madame Leota when the young witch chose to be trained in her craft by the villains over her own mother, as the Wicked Witch believed she'd been beaten and had lost her daughter for good._

 _He caught up to her and tried to get her to stop by grabbing her arm, only to have Zelena pull away from him as she retorted angrily, "Look… I can't rescue someone that doesn't want to be rescued."_

 _However, the Captain didn't give up trying to help her as he responded, "_ _Look… Robin is just a child, Zelena._ _Perhaps, given time…"_

 _"Listen, I don't need a parenting lesson from a pirate," she curtly interrupted him before he could finish._

 _"_ _She only thinks she knows what's best," Hook continued, refusing to give up trying to help her despite her stubbornness once Zelena finally stopped, and he moved around her so they were facing one another._

 _Out of frustration, she answered, "_ _Which is apparently more than me._ _Regina was right._ _I prevented Robin from finding herself, just like my father did to me."_

 _He looked at her skeptically while he retorted, "_ _You don't really believe that."_

 _"_ _Gothel gave her all she wanted," Zelena replied sadly and finally kept her eyes on the man before her while he spoke again more firmly._

 _"_ _That woman abandoned her own daughter, and she'll have no hesitation running yours dry," the Captain compellingly responded, as he knew and understood what the villainess who called herself Mother Gothel was really capable of better than anyone._ _"_ _You have to…"_

 _However, the Wicked Witch cut him off once again out of anger as she vehemently questioned, "What?! What can I do? I don't have magic!"_

 _This time, Hook looked at her with a plea in his eyes, speaking gently as he said, "Robin needs her mother. You've got something much stronger than magic in you."_

 _"What's that?" she quietly asked while she fought to keep herself from breaking down out of despair for failing her daughter._

 _"Love," he strongly answered her, and it was then that she could see the love he felt for his own daughter in his eyes, as well as the sadness for being unable to be with her, while he continued. "You've faced certain danger, armed only with that. And it is love that makes you so daring, so brave, so utterly fearless. You've got so much more to offer Robin. Don't… Don't tear that asunder now._

 _Zelena's voice broke as she continued to look at him and asked, "So, what? I just turn around and…"_

 _Before she could finish questioning him how, Hook stated firmly, "Show her. Show her how much she means to you."_

Back in the present…

"And you beat Gothel that day and got your daughter back, didn't you?" Lucy finally questioned again once Kelly finished sharing her story.

"Yes… I did," the former Wicked Witch replied sadly. "But I wouldn't have were it not for Hook's assurance I could get my daughter back with love over Gothel's influence and dark magic. I owe him a lot for the advice he gave me that afternoon and unless we can save him now… I just hope to be able to do the same for him too. Weaver's doing what he can to try to awaken Tilly. I mean… Alice. We hope to be able to wake Hook too, so long as we succeed in bringing Rogers back first. That way, they can be together again without the poison in his heart reactivating so long as the curse is still upon us."

Lucy smiled as she responded, "I knew they were father and daughter. Just like I knew Henry was my father too. Tilly and Rogers always seemed to be together a lot until now. What can I do to help?"

It was then that Henry called out to the young girl so he could take her back to her apartment for her mother and look after her while Jacinda was working that night, then Kelly looked at her again as she answered, "I promise you, I will let you know. In the meantime, you should go. And try not to worry about either Rogers or Regina. We're going to defeat Gothel because we have love on our side. Something she will never have."


	24. Chapter 24

Whipping Boy

Chapter Twenty-Four

Back in the heroes' past once again…

While still within the safety of their camp, the rebels worked to find Hook wherever Mother Gothel might have taken him. Unfortunately, it wasn't as simple as conjuring up a locator spell, which Regina tried to do by using the chess piece he had given his daughter, or even through the power from Tiger Lily's visions. While the Orange Fairy concentrated on trying to find him through her own means, she discovered nothing but darkness. A darkness she feared indicated that either their friend was no longer alive to be found, or he was somehow magically hidden from her sight. The fairy could only hope it was the latter, as she understood the kind of grief and anger that lay ahead for her friends if Hook had been killed.

"I fear I cannot see your father, or where this witch has taken him either," Tiger Lily finally said to Alice sadly after she opened her eyes again to look into hers, from concentrating for as long as she had the strength to enter one of her visions for, then handed the white knight back to her.

"I don't understand," the girl from Wonderland and other places whispered fearfully as she stared down at the piece in her hands, then raised her head in order to look between the fairy as well as Regina, who had told her minutes ago that her own magic had failed her too. "My father's out there somewhere. He is. If you're thinking he's dead because you can't find him through the conventional means of your magic, you're wrong. Both of you. Gothel wouldn't kill him. I can't… He can't be dead."

Regina reached out and pulled the young woman into her arms again to comfort her the best she could while she answered, "Of course he's alive. It just means that Gothel's keeping him captive somewhere that's blocking our magic. We just need to figure out another way to find him is all. Hopefully Gold will have something to help us do that."

Upon hearing the mention of his name, the Dark One entered the rebel camp after he walked towards them from beyond the hill where they resided, having transported himself outside of the camp's boundaries due to the protection spell which prevented him from entering by magic, as he replied, "It appears you already know Hook is no longer in the hands of Lady Tremaine, but now in Gothel's."

"How did you know that?" Tiana sternly questioned him.

"Because while I returned to my old castle back in the Enchanted Forest from which Regina and I are both from, I was paid a visit from Drizella," Gold responded to the soon to be Queen of this realm in frustration. "She followed me through my portal and served as a distraction for Gothel, while the witch herself went to Lady Tremaine to capture Hook before even I was none the wiser. I should have realized her motives sooner. I'm sorry, Alice."

She just shook her head and turned away from everyone to try to keep them from seeing her crying, then Henry spoke up as he asked, "So… were you able to find whatever it was you were looking for then? Alice said you hoped to be able to find something that would help us save him."

Rumplestiltskin summoned the fairy wand into his hand, then glanced towards Tiger Lily upon sensing her sudden disdain towards him once he revealed it to them and answered, "I realize what you must think. And the truth is, you'd be right. I did kill another Fairy Godmother like you and the Blue Fairy to get it. But that was a long time ago and the villain I used to be. It's no excuse mind you, but…"

"It's okay," the Orange Fairy stated sadly. "I understand you're not the same man you once were. Hook told me as much when I came to find Blue in order to get my wings back. The other Hook I mean."

"He told you that?" the Dark One questioned her with surprise upon hearing that his oldest enemy had been the one to defend him over even the Savior or Snow White and Prince Charming. "Well… wonders never cease. But back to the task at hand… I knew Lady Tremaine possesses a similar wand herself and so I thought the rest of you might be able to use it in order to confront the woman."

Regina looked at him crossly as she asked, "Why don't you come with us and use it against her yourself? You promised Alice you would help us to save Hook."

Gold nodded, then replied, "And I will. Once we discover where Gothel is keeping him concealed from us. Unfortunately, Lady Tremaine has used her wand to put a protection spell over her manor to keep me from invading like I tried to do shortly after my arrival here in this new forest to steal one of her magical artifacts. I'm surprised she hasn't done the same to bar Gothel from her manor as well."

"You needn't trouble yourselves with coming to my manor to talk," Lady Tremaine suddenly responded upon riding up on her horse with her men to outside of the camp's protection spell as she called out to the heroes. "I've come to you."

"What are you doing here?!" Alice shouted at her in anger as she started to charge towards the villain until Regina reached out to hold her back. "After you kidnapped my father and then handed him over to the witch who has been tormenting him all these years? How could you?"

Rapunzel dismounted and walked towards the heroes as far as she could, then looked between Hook's daughter and her own stepdaughter while she answered, "I thought then it was the better opportunity Gothel presented me with. And while she had given me something I could have used to make you pay for your role in my poor Anastasia's death, Cinderella… I later realized I was still facing a problem which only you heroes could help me with. It is everyone's problem after all."

Ella looked despondently at her stepmother as she replied, "If you're talking about Drizella's plans to enact the dark curse, then you're right, but we will stop her without your help."

"Ella's right," Henry responded assuredly while he continued to hold his newborn child in his arms. "There's nothing you could say or do to convince us to accept working with you to stop her. Especially not after you handed our friend over to Mother Gothel for your own selfish desires."

"Not even if I offered you information that could help you to find Hook?" Lady Tremaine asked, appearing to look about as sincere as she was capable of being. "We must stop my daughter from enacting that curse at all costs and I've thought of a way to do so. Blood magic… using my own blood. I've no doubt she'll one day soon come here to your camp as I have to deliver to you a prophecy. It's Drizella's style. She gloats too much about her ideals and plans for the future, as she always has. When she comes, you can imprison her in stone."

Gold spoke again coolly saying, "It's a clever plan indeed, should we take you at your word."

Alice glared at the woman before them as she suddenly asked curtly, "What means do you have to help us find my papa when we haven't been able to do so already? He's all I care about right now. A locator spell doesn't work."

"Alice is right," Regina added. "Gothel's using magic to conceal him from us so we can't find him. What makes you think you can?"

"You're all concentrating on finding Hook, when what you really should have been doing is trying to find her," Rapunzel then answered smugly. "I've used my own source to create a locator spell and while Gothel is hid as well… she hasn't stayed within the concealment since she's taken him. I've heard rumors of a curio shop somewhere with the dark woods where she's currently roaming. A shop which is often visited by witches and many other magical beings, that was once run by a treacherous woman who claimed herself a medium. Rumors state she's long since been dead, but her shop is said to still remain… under the powerful enchantment of a cloaking spell or something similar to one, just more powerful. Unfortunately, I don't know where this said shop is, nor does anyone else if it even exists. But from a conversation I had with Gothel long ago, I believe she was once acquainted with this same medium. Gothel called her Madame Leota. If she and her shop somehow still exist, I am willing to bet she's holding Hook captive there. In exchange for the talisman I've created to locate Gothel herself, you must agree to help me stop my daughter. Both sides of my offer are a benefit to you. You'd be foolish to say no."

Princess Tiana looked between her friends and the young girl who was Hook's daughter while she replied quietly, "I don't particularly like having to trust Lady Tremaine after all she's done to try to destroy us and our kingdom, but for our sake… especially for Hook's sake, I think we ought to at least consider it. It may be our only chance to save him."

Regina looked at the villainess again as she asked, "Exactly what is this talisman?"

"A single petal once from a rare golden flower I found within the ruins of the tower which both I and Alice here were once trapped inside, along with Gothel herself," Tremaine responded as she held out a small chest in her hands she pulled out from under the cloak she wore, then opened it for the heroes to reveal to them what was contained inside.

"Papa said that golden flower was what allowed for me to be born and was what gave Gothel her freedom from the tower, trapping me there in her place," Alice answered sadly as she reached out to tenderly touch the flower petal Hook had kept all those years they lived there together as a reminder of his own shame in falling for Gothel's lies and seduction. "I thought it was lost along with everything else he and I had together when the tower came down and became nothing but rubble. I don't trust Lady Tremaine, but she is right that this may be the only chance we have to find and save my father. Please… I can't lose him. I can't."

Tiana saw the plea in her eyes as Alice looked to her and to the others, then the Princess turned again to Lady Tremaine while she assuredly replied, "And you won't, Alice. Lady Tremaine… in exchange for the petal you've imbued with you own magic to create a locator spell to find this witch, we will agree to your terms to help you trap Drizella so we can stop her from casting the curse as well. But know that if you try to betray us, or to hurt us in any way, we will have you imprisoned. You aren't the only one with magic to help yourself."

The woman known as both Lady Tremaine and Rapunzel smiled when Regina lowered the protection spell she put in place around their camp so the villain could enter, then she handed the flower petal still in the chest over to the former Evil Queen while she responded, "Then we have an agreement. I can only hope our brief alliance will be strong enough to keep this curse from coming."


	25. Chapter 25

Whipping Boy

Chapter Twenty-Five

In Hyperion Heights…

Gothel continued to lay in bed beside her now sleeping husband, until she was suddenly startled from her thoughts upon hearing someone knocking on her front door. When the knocking persisted and she heard no sounds of her sisters talking from the living room, or going to answer the door, she rose from the bed and quickly pulled on her silk robe, then Eloise left her room to head out to answer the door herself upon finding she and Rogers were alone in her apartment. She half expected it to be Weaver or Regina coming to demand to see their friend after the conversation she had earlier with the Queen, but she was pleasantly surprised to open her door to Baron Samdi instead.

The witchdoctor smiled at her while he spoke coolly saying, "Good evening, Eloise. I am sorry if I'm intruding at this late hour. You appeared to be in the middle of something. How does it feel to have your husband home again?"

She motioned for him to come in and walked towards the couch to sit down as he closed the door again behind him before he followed her into the living room, then out of frustration she responded, "Call me Mother Gothel, or simply Gothel. Never use Eloise to my face again. You know who I am. And in answer to your question, it's wonderful having him here. It's thanks to you that he now belongs to me. But if you've come for your payment… for the Dark One's dagger as was agreed, you know as well as I do it's going to take more than what I've done to Rogers to convince his partner to give it up. Did you not get my message from your genie?"

"Sidney told me," Facilier replied, then suddenly reached out to grab her arm before she could sit down. "We can talk business, but only after you wash that detective's filth off of you and you change into something a little less seductive first. Believe me, I am not interested."

"I was never offering," the nymph answered coyly and smiled at him before he walked into the bathroom to do as he requested of her while she continued to talk to him. "And don't worry about Rogers interrupting us either. He's in our bedroom lying unconscious. But even if he wasn't, he's no longer capable of defiance, resistance, or anything else that makes him the man he once was. From now on, he'll be sleepwalking through what remains of his life."

When she finally walked out of the bathroom again wearing the clothes she'd been wearing that day after she had cleaned herself with a wet washcloth, then took a seat across from him on her couch like she had attempted to do before, Gothel continued, "I'm using Rogers as a means to an end. Not just to keep him away from Regina or his daughter, but so I can use him to win back my daughter. Not that I needed to share this with you. Tell me, Facilier… do you still harbor feelings for the Evil Queen? You do realize Regina isn't still that woman you yourself are infatuated with?"

The voodoo doctor looked at her coldly while he responded, "How I feel about Regina is none of your concern or business. I know who she is. And if I did to her as you've done to Captain Hook, or Detective Rogers, or whoever… whatever he is now… then she wouldn't be that woman anymore. So, if you're about to offer me whatever power you have over him so I can do that to her, my answer is no. I would want her no other way."

"Very good," Eloise replied, as she smiled at him again. "Now we can discuss the real business at hand. I'm guessing you're here about Sidney?"

"You gave him an elixir to heal his burns in an effort to undermine me," Samdi darkly answered. "Luckily for you, Sidney understands he still works for me until he pays off his contract. He wrote me what I wanted him to write about your detective, but you gave him a few ideas. I don't want you to talking to him long enough to fill his head with ideas on how to get out from under my thumb. Is that understood?"

She nodded and then responded, "Yes. I am sorry for stepping on your toes. I do appreciate you loaning him to me to help me with the legalities of all I've done to keep me from being arrested. What can I do for you in return? Is it really just the Dark One dagger you've come here to Hyperion Heights for, other than Regina?"

He stood again as he replied, "It's like I told you… my business is my own, Mother Gothel. And should you fail me, I have others to help me get what I need. But know that you are still indebted to me. And I will not forget it."

"Why did you have your boy abduct Rogers so you could hand him over to me?" the witch questioned him before he walked out. "In all honesty…. did you give me what I wanted so I would simply remain in your debt? Or was it because upon your arrival here, you learned about how she felt about my pirate? You wanted Rogers and therefore Hook out of the picture… didn't you? His pain and being no longer in her life is what you really wanted all along."

"Goodnight… Eloise," Facilier answered coldly, then left the apartment without another word to her and without closing the door once again behind him.

After he was gone, Gothel stood from the couch and walked towards her bedroom to look in on Rogers, seeing that he was still as she had left him lying beneath the blankets draped over him. She then stepped back and walked into her kitchen to fix herself something to eat before she picked up her phone to call her sisters.


	26. Chapter 26

Whipping Boy

Chapter Twenty-Six

Inside Memento Mori…

Hook slowly awakened, though he struggled against opening his eyes when the anguish throughout his mind and body immediately came flooding back from Madame Leota's torment she had inflicted upon him so Gothel could cast her dark magic over him. At first, he could hardly remember what had been done to him, but a few minutes passed and the Captain remembered everything. And he didn't need to be able to see before he felt that the chains which had been wrapped around him were gone, as were the ropes which had once bound his wrist and hook together. However, he found he couldn't move at all, even enough to be able to roll over onto his back.

Through blurry vision, the prisoner gazed around him once he was able to weakly lift his head to try to focus on his surroundings. Yet after several minutes when he found he still could barely see, Hook settled on simply struggling to keep moving and at last he managed to roll over onto his back, grateful that neither Gothel or the medium inside her crystal ball were there with him as he fought to regain his senses and movement.

Within a span of ten minutes time, he was finally able to sit up against the fireplace beside him, using it and the floor to lift himself up and then he eventually managed to stand back up on his feet as well, though his head spun as he did so. His legs and hand shook while he fought to remain upright, but he knew that if he quit trying to fight off the dizziness and pain by allowing himself the reprieve his body was demanding of him, he wouldn't ever be able to get back up again.

So, Hook struggled to keep moving. When he turned and stumbled forward, his hook knocked over one of the candlesticks sitting on top of a table outside of the curtain splitting the lair into two rooms, as the unlit candle fell onto a partially opened scroll which he could see was a map. Much to his surprise, it was a map he could at last make out to be the land surrounding where Memento Mori stood invisible to anyone who entered the forest outside of where he had become a prisoner according to what Madame Leota told him. Discovering it to be of great value, the pirate rolled the scroll the rest of the way and tucked it into his long coat's inside pocket. Unfortunately, Gothel returned to the medium's lair moments later, as she appeared in a cloud of smoke a short distance from where he stood before he could continue to make his escape.

"Well… I hoped to return to find you awake, Captain, though I wasn't expecting you to be back on your feet so soon," the witch Hook had met so long ago now said callously. "You're strong. Strong willed that is. However, I can also see that you're still very weak. It's understandable for sure… seeing as you were very recently made to suffer the full force of Madame Leota's power. Why don't you come sit down before you fall down."

"I'd rather remain standing," he replied to her out of defiance. "You've done what you wanted, even if you did fail. You still got to see me writhing in agony. So what good am I to you anymore?"

Failing to see as Hook cautiously reached behind his back so he could pull out a small pouch attached to his belt while she was focused on his face and eyes, Gothel smiled at him, then she answered, "There's so much I could do. But for now I have yet to decide what I am going to do with you. If you would trust me, I can heal the burns under your clothes left behind. You'll feel much better… I assure you."

The Captain glared at her coldly while he responded, "I'd rather live with these burns and their pain for however longer my life may be. What have you done to me? Your spell… what you called an obsession spell… The other witch said it would stay with me until… until…"

"Until you become vulnerable and are no longer able to remember those you love or who love you in return," the nymph cruelly finished for him. "One day, you will be mine just like I told you when we were in Neverland together. A curse is coming, Hook. Madame Leota has foreseen that you heroes will all fail to stop it no matter what you do to try. The others will simply forget who they are, but you… Your punishment will be so much worse and it will be of your own making. Just like the poison over your heart."

"Not this time, Gothel," he darkly retorted and before she could stop him, Hook threw the pouch of gunpowder he kept hidden behind his back into the fireplace, then immediately dove backward once the flames suddenly erupted into an explosion that burst out at Gothel, causing her to scream out in pain as the fire burned her skin, as well as in anger when Memento Mori swiftly caught ablaze.

Upon the shop doing so, Gothel emitted her magic again in order to heal herself, then began to put out the flames when Madame Leota appeared again within her crystal ball, while Hook struggled to rise again to his feet so he could run despite his own pain and still feeling so weak, and she angrily cried out, "The pirate's escaping! Stop him!"

Adrenaline allowed for the pirate captain to break open the door so he could escape from the chamber, then began to run through the forest as quickly as he was able to move, stumbling a few times along the way. The witches both worked together to put out the flames surrounding them, then Gothel took off after Hook expecting to catch up to him once his strength wore out long before he could reach his friends within the safety of the rebel camp, almost playing with him while she hunted him down.

Hook ignored that he was being hunted, while he focused on staying alert to his surroundings, as well on the sky now that darkness had fallen so he could use the stars to help guide him through the woods in the direction of the rebel camp. Because he had no idea where he currently was since he had been unconscious when Gothel brought him to Memento Mori.

However, he sensed the villainess chasing him was moving in closer and losing patience the longer she kept following him. He knew it wouldn't be long before she would tire and close in on him unless he came up with a way to escape from her once and for all. So, upon hearing the sound of a raging river ahead of him, Hook turned in its direction and kept going until he came upon a cliff above the rushing waters now below him. He stared down into the river for no more than a minute before he made his final decision and suddenly jumped from the cliff into the raging waters below before he could be caught.

Gothel arrived at the cliff just in time to watch as her captive did so, then she finally vanished within a cloud of smoke to leave the pirate to the mercy of the river. Madame Leota had seen into the future where he would become hers once again, so Gothel knew he would find the will to survive the fall.

Meanwhile…

Upon leaving the safety of their camp, Henry took charge in the heroes' search for their friend while Tiger Lily guided them through the forest using the talisman to track Gothel which Lady Tremaine had given to them, once she sensed the witch had left the cloak that kept her and Hook hidden. Alice stayed close to the Orange Fairy and Regina as she followed them while she held her father's chess piece tightly within the clutches of her hands for the little comfort it provided her. Tiana walked alongside the Dark One, who followed behind everyone as well.

However, upon them walking alongside the river, as its waters grew more forceful, Alice suddenly stopped dead in her tracks when she became overwhelmed by swift flashes that tore through her mind with a vision of her own. Within the flashes, she saw her father running through the forest away from whatever danger was chasing after him, until she saw him jump from a ledge high above the raging waters, then become consumed by them as they swallowed him.

All of a sudden, Alice fearfully cried out, "Papa!"

"Alice?!" Regina uttered in concern when she immediately pulled the young woman into her arms and held her tightly to try to comfort her upon seeing her fear and hearing her scream out for her father. "It's all right. Shhh… It's okay. What happened? What did you see?"

"I don't… I don't understand…" the girl from Wonderland worryingly replied, as she struggled to comprehend what just happened to her and all she had seen. "I've never… never had visions. But I saw him. My papa… I saw him running through here. Something was chasing him… or someone. Gothel…"

When she pulled away from the woman who loved her father, Gold walked up to the Guardian and stood before her while he spoke gently saying, "You've only just begun to harness your abilities, Alice. Just listen to your heart and focus on what your mind showed you. What else did you see?"

Alice looked over at him, then glanced over at Tiger Lily too as the fairy nodded her own encouragement for her to listen, and finally she answered, "I saw him jump into the river. The waters… they consumed him. No… he can't… he can't be dead. I'd know it if he were. I can feel him… I can feel he's alive, but he's hurt. We have to find him."

"We're not looking for Gothel any longer, so may I see the chess piece again?" Tiger Lily then asked, before the young woman handed the white knight back to her once again so that the fairy could guide them to him. "Alice is right. Hook is still alive. I can sense him, but I also sense he is hurt and very weak."

"We have to find him fast then," Regina responded firmly, then held onto Alice by her shoulders while they all followed after Tiger Lily, who nodded once more before she suddenly transformed herself into her fairy form to help light their way while she guided them to their friend and Alice's father as quickly as she could.

At last, the heroes came upon the calm of the river beyond the cliffs and hills alongside of it and when the Orange Fairy took a moment to get a sense of their surroundings, Alice suddenly took off in a run ahead of them when it was then that she finally saw her father lying face down on the ground several feet away, the lower half of his body still emerged within the shallow waters upon him pulling himself out of the river as much as he was able to before he had lost all strength and his battle with consciousness.

However, just before she reached him, Alice swiftly froze when she remembered she couldn't go near him on account of his poisoned heart, then backed away while she fought back her sobs and tears, as well as her anger over being unable to care for him now like he had cared for her since she was born until they were forced apart ten years later.

Regina immediately ran past her and when she reached the man she loved, she and Tiger Lily, as well as Henry all worked to pull Hook the rest of the way from the river, then carefully rolled him over onto his back. Regina leaned over him and listened to his chest for a heartbeat and to see if he was truly still breathing, as his face and body were freezing cold to her touch and he was eerily still, until at last she saw the rise and fall of his chest. Hook was alive, but only just.

Alice finally called out to their friends with fear in her voice as she asked, "Is Papa alright? Please… please tell me he's okay?!"

Henry looked up from his friend beneath him on the ground to glance at Hook's daughter and replied, "He will be. But we need to get him back to the camp where we can take care of him. It's far too dark out here in the forest and we have no idea what Gothel's done to him. We'll need to make a travois."

"Allow me…" Gold then stated, as he waved his hand and conjured a travois so they would be able to carry Hook back with them.

"Hook?" Regina whispered gently while she continued to lean over him and tenderly caressed his face, as Henry and Tiger Lily prepared to lift him onto the makeshift stretcher now laying on the ground beside him. "Killian, stay with me. Please… You have to prove to us again you're a survivor. Alice and I… we need you."

The Queen's son, then laid his hand over her back and said quietly, "We need to go. He's going to be okay, Mom. But first we need to get him back. Grandpa and I will carry him. You should stay with Alice. She needs you right now."

Regina looked up at the young woman again and finally moved away from Hook to allow her son and the Dark One to take over for her, then she stood to walk over to be with Alice, who worryingly asked the Queen again, "What's happened to him? How badly is my father hurt?"

"I couldn't really see," the dark haired woman who loved the pirate answered, as she wrapped her arms around his daughter like before. "He looks to be hurt pretty badly, but he's still alive, Alice. When we get back, we'll take care of him. I promise."

"I just wish I could at least reach out to take his hand," Alice sadly responded, while Regina reached down to take her hand in her own for strength when they followed behind the two men now carrying Hook between them towards their camp at a safe distance so that Alice's decision to remain among them until she knew for sure he would be alright, wouldn't hurt her father any more than he already was. "To assure him I'm here."

Regina then spoke again saying, "He knows, Alice. You're always with him even though you can't be in person. Just as he's always with you."

The young woman smiled up at her as she whispered, "Thank you."


	27. Chapter 27

Whipping Boy

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Once again in the present…

The next morning, Dr. Facilier and Sidney arrived within Samdi's office and were surprised to find Regina sitting at the witchdoctor's desk, until she rose to her feet when they entered the room, then stated, "Gold told me you were released thanks to Sidney. You two and Gothel, as well as her coven all deserve to be dead, or locked away for the rest of your lives, but until all of this between heroes and villains ends… I hoped we could talk. I'm glad you're both here."

Facilier smiled as he stepped towards the woman he admired standing before him, then answered smugly, "Good morning to you too, Regina. You're as lovely as ever."

"Please… have a seat," he continued after the former Evil Queen stepped out from behind the desk to back away from him when Samdi walked around on the other side to stand nearer to her, then motioned for her to sit in one of the chairs while Sidney also took a seat in one of them as well. "What exactly would you like to talk with us about?"

"About you reorganizing this newspaper in order to make up filthy lies about someone I care very deeply about so you can try to ruin his reputation and his life!" Regina retorted angrily and then slammed her copy of the first story Sidney had written a few days ago. "And about why you had the kid working for you abduct Rogers so you could deliver him to Gothel. I would have come to see you while you were still in prison, but I've been busy trying to help him. Why are you doing this? I always knew you were a real son of a bitch, but I at least thought we had an understanding between one another. That I wouldn't come after you now that I'm no longer a villain, while you wouldn't try to come after me."

Baron Samdi finally sat down at his desk, then looked up at Regina who was still standing while he responded, "We do have an understanding, Regina. And I never came after you. This wasn't done to hurt you."

Regina scoffed as she darkly replied, "Don't give me that! Don't try to tell me that you hurting Rogers and handing him over to that witch wasn't meant to hurt me. I love him. When he's hurt and suffering, so am I. That's how real love works. And you know that. Are you jealous? Is that what this is about? Jealous because I chose him… and others over you? Because I never cared about you even close to how much I care about Hook, Facilier. The extent of the relationship you and I briefly had together back when I was still the Evil Queen is equivalent to a one night stand. You and I… will never happen again. And I won't ever forgive you for hurting Rogers."

"If I have to kill Hook… Rogers, or whatever you prefer to call that pirate, in order to bring the Evil Queen I love back out, then so be it," the witchdoctor cruelly answered her. "Even if you refuse to be with me like we were back then. But Regina… you could have everything you ever wanted if you would just give in and be with me. I could give you the world. With our powers combined, we would be unstoppable."

"I want Rogers," she unwaveringly responded. "I want to have a life with him after this curse is broken and to see the world with him. My mother kept trying to tell me most of my life that love was weakness. That's why she killed the first man I ever loved. But she was wrong because it only makes those who have it stronger. Like it's done for me. I've already lost two men I hoped to spend the rest of my life with. So you can be damned sure I won't let you or Gothel destroy him too. And I'm not alone."

She then turned to Sidney again and added, "As for you… I won't waste my breath trying to convince you to print a retraction to your first story. I know you won't do it. But if you write a follow up, or anything more to destroy Rogers further, then so help me…"

The genie sneered as he finished for her saying, "You will destroy me if it's the last thing you ever do? I've heard that line before, Your Majesty. When you spoke about Emma Swan back when she first arrived in Storybrooke. Or when you spoke to me about trying to destroy Snow White while I was still trapped in your magic mirror. On and on, you talked like that. It got tedious after awhile."

"You want to know what was tedious, Sidney?" Regina coldly replied. "Tedious, was you pining for me back when you thought you had a chance with me, just like Facilier. Even when you knew I was only using you to get what I wanted."

"You're right," he answered upon feeling the shame of his own weakness back then. "I was a fool for thinking you would ever love me. But at least now I'm finally past that and I'm doing whatever is in my power to hurt you as you hurt me. Just like I told you the other morning."

The Queen glared at him darkly and then responded, "Believe me, Sidney… you will not like how this war you've started ends for you if you don't stop trying to get back at me by hurting Rogers."

Sidney was about to retort, until Facilier spoke up for him as he stated, "It sounds to me like he wasn't the one who started this war, Regina. Come now… it's a lovely morning and I would hate to have it ruined by this squabble we're having."

"I swear, Facilier… If you have him write anymore to slander Rogers, or continue to come after me and my friends so you can get your hands on the Dark One dagger, you will regret it," Regina replied angrily, when she once again turned around to face the voodoo doctor. "And I don't need my magic to make you pay."

"Spoken like the true Queen you really are," he smugly replied, then offered her a cruel grin before she finally stormed out of his office without so much as another word to either of them.

Once she was gone, both men laughed as they were completely unfazed by Regina's threats against them. Finally, Samdi took a seat at his desk again while Sidney also sat down again in his own chair across the room, then together they began to talk about was wanted for the new story in the next edition of _The Heights' Daily Mirror_.


	28. Chapter 28

Whipping Boy

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Meanwhile…

Weaver once again left his apartment within the neighborhood after yet another sleepless night, to head in to work like he's done every morning since becoming a detective under the fall of Gothel's curse that created Hyperion Heights. It wasn't a career of his choice, but in truth Gold actually preferred being a detective to simply being a shopkeeper who dealt in magical artifacts and antiques. Being a detective gave him a different kind of power which he could use for the good of the innocent and defenseless people around him, rather than the power that came from being the Dark One who used to use his power to hurt them.

When he arrived at the precinct and stepped out of his car, he ran into Jacinda and Sabine who were just leaving the café nearby after they finished having breakfast together. Both women quickly apologized to him for bumping into him, then started to keep walking until Sabine turned around again so she could talk with the detective.

"Detective Weaver… if you have a minute, I was hoping we could talk about Drew?" she said as she reached out to grab Weaver's arm to keep him from walking away. "I understand you tried to arrest him a few nights ago. Whatever you think he might have done…"

"For the most part, he's innocent," Gold finished for her before she could continue. "I know that now. Drew did commit a crime, but not of his own volition. He abducted Rogers for his employer, Baron Samdi, who then made everything that's happened to Rogers possible."

Both women looked back at him in confusion, then the owner and chef of the Rollin' Bayou responded, "I don't… understand? Drew told me you had brought him in for questioning in regards to Detective Rogers' assault nights ago, but then told me you had cleared him of any wrongdoing. He said you might want to talk to me about an alibi, but he didn't say anything to me about being involved in Rogers' abduction. There has to be a mistake. Drew would never hurt anyone, especially like that. Not for anything. I know him."

Jacinda looked over at her best friend as she laid her hand over Sabine's shoulder, then she turned to Weaver again and added, "Sabine's right, detective. Drew is a good man. Surely there's something in your partner's abduction that you're missing."

"Look, it's like I said… I know he's innocent in all this and that he's a good man as you say he is," he answered back. "Which is why I let him go. He was used by Baron Samdi, who has the power to force even good people to do terrible things in order to get whatever it is he wants and he doesn't care who he hurts to do it. I promise you, there will be no repercussions coming from me against your friend. The real villains are Samdi and Eloise Gardener. Now… if you'll excuse me. I must get in to work."

"Thank you, Detective Weaver," Jacinda replied quickly. "You know… I didn't really believe it at first, but Henry told me how you had changed since the time you attempted to frame him for stealing my stepmother's bracelet, then striking him and now I see what he meant. You really have changed."

Gold nodded and then responded, "I regret that those were the circumstances under which we met. I'm not so sure who that man was back then. I'm just grateful to have seen the error of my ways."

Sabine smiled as she answered, "The truth is, we all have things about us we don't particularly like. But so long as we try to be…"

"Excuse me," Weaver suddenly interrupted her, when it was then that he saw Gothel walking across the street from them, along with the witch he now knew to be Madame Leota from talking with Regina, and much to his surprise… his partner. "I have to go."

Jacinda and Sabine watched as the senior detective ran across the street, stopping the oncoming cars with the raise of his hand and then finally saw what made him run away from them, as they also saw Detective Rogers with the woman who was responsible for hurting him just days ago. With one look at each other, the women swiftly decided to follow after Weaver to find out what was going on with his partner, and their friend.

"Rogers?" Gold uttered worryingly to try to gain his partner's attention upon seeing him staring down at the ground in front of him like nothing else around him existed, then attempted to reach out to touch his shoulder until Leota swiftly slapped his hand away.

Gothel then glared at him as she spoke again coldly saying, "Detective Weaver… What an unpleasant surprise. Although, I really suppose I should have expected a confrontation like this at some point."

When Rogers remained in his zombie like state, the Dark One finally turned away from him to look over at the witch and then asked, "What have you done to him?"

"Nothing, detective," she smugly replied, as she also turned her head to look over at the man who was now her husband under false and criminal pretenses. "Your friend is simply quiet this morning. And still hurting on account of his mugging the other night."

"That may be so, but it's obvious there's something wrong with him beyond the pain he's suffering from," Sabine curtly retorted in Rogers' defense before Gold could say pretty much the same thing. "Look at him! He's dazed and completely unresponsive. You've clearly done something more to him, other than make him forget who his friends are, as well as himself."

Gold stepped closer to his friend while he reached out to touch Rogers' lower face and neck to try to gain his attention once more until Leota started to push him back again. Only this time, Jacinda grabbed her hand and pushed her back instead so Weaver could continue to try to help his partner.

Eloise tightened her grip over Rogers' still bandaged hand while she responded, "I warned Roni at the hospital and now I'm warning you, detective… Each of you… I suggest you all stay away from me and my husband, or there will be consequences. Or will I have to get a restraining order to keep you away?"

The older detective seemed to ignore the witch's warning, as he lifted his friend's head to try to get him to look at him while he questioned, "Rogers… can you hear me at all? Do you know who I am, or who you are?"

Rogers then finally appeared to be looking at him, but Gold knew better. From the distant and dazed look he saw in his partner's eyes, he could tell that Rogers was incapable of seeing him or anything thing else right in front of him. Then, the younger man simply looked down and turned away once again, until Gothel spoke to him herself in a demanding tone.

"Sweetheart, I need you to go with Leota now so I can have a little talk with these strangers," she commanded him after she pulled Gold's hands away, then reached up to gently lay her hand under his chin to lift his head so she could get him to look at her. "They need to understand that they're to leave you and me alone. So… go on now."

"You've brainwashed him somehow," Gold stated angrily after Rogers simply nodded in answer to her, then walked away with who Sabine and Jacinda saw as one of the other members of Eloise's cult. "You've drugged him so that he'll only acknowledge your presence, possibly your sisters' too, and respond to your demands."

Gothel smiled at him cruelly, yet denied what the Dark One was accusing her of as she answered, "I'm afraid I don't know what you mean, detective. I haven't done anything to him no matter what you and Roni, or the rest of your friends believe. His mugging was very traumatic for him. Since then, he's barely said so much as a single word. He's also been in a lot of pain, so I've given him the medicine which the doctors have prescribed for him. Now… I suggest that you listen to me as I'm telling you to stay away from him and from me. I don't want to have to ask you again, or go over your head to your superiors. Do we have an understanding, Detective Weaver?"

This time, Gold leaned in close and whispered into her ear as he darkly replied, "You should know better than to threaten the Dark One, or those he cares about, Mother Gothel. It's you who will suffer the consequences when this is all over. Goodbye."

Once he finished speaking to her, the senior detective stepped back and turned away as he looked between Jacinda and Sabine, motioning for them to leave with him. They did so, while Gothel stared after them with darkness in her eyes, then finally walked off in the opposite direction to join back up with her sister and Rogers.

"What did you say to her?" Sabine then asked the detective as she and Jacinda continued to follow him once they crossed the street again. "Did you threaten her? Whatever you said, she wasn't happy."

"I told Eloise I would make her pay for hurting my partner… that's all," Weaver said in frustration, then let out a sigh before he stopped again and turned around to face the women behind him. "Now, I do have to get to work. Good day, ladies. And by the way, thank you. For standing up for Rogers just now. I've no doubt that your support will be most needed before this is all said and done."


	29. Chapter 29

Whipping Boy

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Upon walking away from Sabine and Jacinda, Gold pulled out his cell phone and quickly sent a text message off to Regina and Tilly, asking them to meet him at the precinct inside his evidence locker in twenty minutes where they would be able to talk in private without the prying eyes and ears of the rest of their friends who were still cursed, or the rest of the people living within Hyperion Heights. Then, he sent another message to Zelena asking her to bring her fiancé with her too. At last, he had come up with a plan to help Rogers which would require Chad's help as much as the others'.

Regina was the first of them to arrive, as she knocked on the locker's door loud enough for Gold to hear her, and her old friend immediately opened it up to her to let her inside. Zelena and Chad arrived a few minutes later and did the same, as did Tilly when she finally joined them as well.

Before any of them asked the senior detective what was going on, Regina walked over to Tilly with two chairs for them to sit in and then looked at the young woman with worry as she whispered, "I'm so sorry about how I blurted everything out to you the other night, Tilly. I really didn't mean to scare you, or overwhelm you with so much. Are you alright?"

Rogers' daughter looked over at her once they were both sitting down and nodded, then quietly replied, "Yes. I'm fine. Thanks to Weaver… or Rumplestiltskin rather. And to you too of course. I want to thank you for telling me the truth, Regina. I remember everything now. Who I am. And that Rogers really is my father. I'm off my pills, so my mind is finally clear. And I understand why you couldn't tell me any of this before."

"It's good to have you back… Alice," the Queen responded sincerely and then wrapped her arms around the girl to hug her.

"Are we here to talk about how we're going to rescue my father from that witch?" Alice then asked when she turned her head to look towards Gold, as well as to Zelena and Chad.

Gold continued to stand across from his friends as he looked between them once they were all sitting down and answered, "Yes we are. Regina… you reminded me a few nights ago to be Rogers' partner and to do whatever it takes to save him from Gothel, even if I must go against the rules and laws I'm meant to obey as a detective here in Hyperion Heights, like she has done in order to hurt Rogers. Well… I've thought of a way to do that, though it's extremely risky and it won't be easy, especially for you, Tilly…"

He looked into Alice's eyes as he acknowledged her, then turned his attention to Chad as well as he added, "Or you either, doctor."

"What do you mean, it won't be easy for my fiancé?" Zelena immediately questioned the Dark One curtly. "I'm not going to let you put him in any danger by sending him anywhere near that witch or the rest of her coven."

"Of course not," Weaver replied, then revised his earlier comment while he continued to look between the engaged couple. "I simply mean that as a doctor, he will most definitely object to what it is I'm about to suggest we do for Rogers' sake. Though I hope you will eventually understand it may be our only chance to help him."

He continued again as he looked between everyone sitting down before him saying, "On my way in here this morning, I ran into Gothel and Madame Leota, who were walking down the street with Rogers. I tried talking with him, but unfortunately…"

When he paused a moment to think carefully on how to tell Hook's daughter and the woman in love with him what he had seen, Alice fearfully asked, "Is Papa okay? What's wrong with him, Weaver? Please… you don't have to sugar coat anything anymore. I know that he's in bad shape. I've seen what she's capable of for myself."

"Whatever Gothel's done to him, I fear her torment has caused Rogers to fall into a zombie like state," Gold responded with concern in his voice. "All he does is either stare out at nothing in front of him, or down at his feet without uttering a single word. I tried to catch his attention, even took his face in my hands to get him to look into my eyes. Unfortunately, it's as though he couldn't sense my presence at all, yet he was able to sense both Gothel and Leota. I've no doubt that the witches can get him to do whatever they ask of him, and he has no mind of his own to be able to defy them. We must get him away from them now, before her power over him can no longer be reversed. That is if it can't be already. The longer he's with them, the more he's in pain."

"All right," Zelena said again despondently while she looked over at their friend's daughter and her sister when neither of them said anything as they both struggled to keep their emotions inside. "So what exactly is your plan then?"

The Dark One sighed, then he finally answered, "We're going to kidnap him, and then rid his body of the toxin, you Regina… said Gothel's drugged him with in order to keep him under her thrall. That is where Chad and Alice come in."

Chad finally spoke up in confusion saying, "I still don't understand? Do you think I can do something to flush out this… this magical plant toxin Regina said this woman has used to keep Detective Rogers in this condition? Even if it was a regular toxin or poison, I'm not sure there's anything I can do to…"

"As a doctor, you know how to flush any drugs, toxins, and poisons from a person's system," Weaver replied sternly when he stepped around the table to move in front of him and faced Zelena's fiancé again. "Magic or not… this plant toxin should work the same way as others. After all, Regina said that Gothel had mentioned she's had to keep drugging him every few nights in order for it to take effect. On top of the torture he's endured of course. My point is… this should work."

"For me to even be able to begin doing this, I'm going to need to test his blood to find out what his blood type is so I can give him fresh blood through a transfusion… no doubt more than just one," the doctor among the heroes responded nervously. "He'll have to go through a full detox. And on top of that, he's still injured from this witch's torture and being stabbed, and electrocuted, and beaten… If I can succeed at all in helping him like you want, we're going to need fresh blood from the hospital and equipment, which I didn't bring with me when I came here from San Francisco. I doubt we would be able to treat him at the hospital. Remember… I'm not his doctor. Besides, what you're suggesting is too dangerous. For Rogers."

The detective looked at him again and then said, "It's like I said, as a doctor this won't be easy for you to do. But… I happen to know there's a wing in the basement of the hospital that has been closed down and closed off for repairs that aren't currently being done. There will be a room there which will be free for us to use. You'll have access to the things you need and we will have not only the privacy, but no one including Gothel will know where we are. You believe in the oath you took when you became a doctor to first do no harm to your patients. And while what I'm asking of you is very much in the gray area of what's right and wrong… I'm telling you, if we don't this, Rogers will either die or remain Gothel's slave for the rest of his life."

Regina continued to listen to everyone speak, then Zelena looked over at the man she loved and reached out to take his hand tightly in her own before she turned back to Gold as she questioned, "Are you absolutely certain this is the only chance we have of saving him? Is all this… necessary? We have Alice here with us again. She may not have her power, but isn't the hope of her being able to awaken Hook the reason why she's here?"

"It's like I said before… if we want to awaken Hook, we must awaken Rogers first and I fear all of this… is necessary," he answered. "Thankfully, Gothel isn't the only one with a doctor in her corner. As for why Alice is here, it's so she can help us with the kidnapping. Alice… I'm afraid that if we're going to get your father away from your mother and her coven, you will need to serve as our distraction. You said Gothel wished to speak with you? To try to explain her side as to why she's done all she's done? We'll need you to change your mind and go to her telling her you will listen, as difficult as it will be for you to hear. I haven't quite figured out how we'll distract the other witches yet, but we can…"

"No way!" Regina suddenly retorted. "Gothel wants to get her hands on Alice. It's partly why she's doing this to Rogers. He'd never forgive us if anything happened to her. And what about the dark spell Gothel cast over Hook years ago when she held him captive inside Memento Mori? Can she help with that? We never knew why Rogers has been so drawn to Eloise and why he couldn't rid himself of the obsession he's felt towards her until now. Alice is the only one who may be able to wake Hook and free him from the spell. We can't risk losing her too."

The Dark One turned again to Regina and replied, "I don't wish to place Alice in harm's way. But she's stronger than she knows. I trust she can do this. And why didn't Gothel's spell work on Hook back then? You're right, Regina. It's because he was too strong willed. He knew who he was and Gothel too. But here… as Rogers, under the thrall of her curse and after she's broken him like she has, he's nothing more than an empty shell."

Tilly quickly responded, "I'll do it. I'll talk to that monster who's my mother to keep her distracted. I'll do whatever it takes to save Papa."

"And what about you, doctor?" Gold then asked when he finally turned to Chad, as well as Zelena again. "Are you willing to help us despite what the doctor in you is telling you is wrong?"

"I may not like it, but then again… I've recently discovered magic is real and that there's real evil in this world outside the evils among humanity," Chad answered reverently. "There are things going on here beyond my understanding, though I do understand that sometimes to defeat the evils you've each faced, you've had to fight beyond your capabilities and limits. I guess what I'm trying to say is… yes. If this is what you need me to do to help you save your friend, I'm in too."


	30. Chapter 30

Whipping Boy

Chapter Thirty

While Henry and Gold carried Hook on the travois between them, Alice remained in the back of their group behind Regina, Tiana, and Tiger Lily, though Regina stayed closest to Hook's daughter so she could offer her what comfort she could if the young woman was up to talking at all. However, Alice cried silently as she kept her eyes on the ground before her while the heroes continued walking in the direction of their camp, and finally Regina wrapped her arm around the girl's shoulders to hold her. Silence had fallen over all of them, until they at last reached the tents within their sanctuary as Tiana immediately gave orders to the rebels who remained behind, telling them to keep close guard at their borders and to keep away from the tent where they would be tending to their wounded friend.

"I'm going to stay out here until I know for sure that Papa will be alright," the youngest among them whispered to Tiger Lily, when Alice stopped just outside of her father's tent where he was about to be cared for, while Regina and the others entered to help him. "If he awakens at all… will you tell him I'm here? Tell him… tell him I love him and that I'm so sorry for getting him into this trouble."

"What's happened to him is not your fault, Alice," the Orange Fairy answered her somberly. "I know your father would be the first one to tell you this. The blame goes to Lady Tremaine and to the witch you call, Gothel. I know how hard this must be for you, especially because you can't be near him. I wish I could see into the future to assure you that one day you will be together again without the poison over his heart threatening his life, but I'm afraid my gift doesn't work that way. I can only tell you not to lose hope. In the meantime, I promise you I will let Hook know that you're here for him. But you will be able to tell him the rest of your message yourself. Stay strong for him now."

With this said, Tiger Lily left Alice alone to join with the others inside the tent, as Henry and the Dark One laid the travois down upon the ground, then gently lifted Hook once again onto the pile of furs and blankets which made up the pirate captain's bed. The men then stepped away as Ella with their child joined her husband again upon his return, while Regina and Tiger Lily knelt down to begin their ministrations.

Regina turned as she looked up at her son while she asked, "Henry… can you please go and get us some water and begin to heat it until it's warm. A fever's begun to rise within him and its hold on him is strong. I'll need some fresh cool water too."

Henry nodded, then quickly leaned in to kiss his wife and their daughter before he took off to do as his mother asked of him, while Tiger Lily gently began to unbutton the vest Hook was wearing beneath his long leather jacket, and Regina worked to pull his arms and body free of it. Once the clothes covering his chest and back were removed, Regina stifled a gasp of fear upon seeing multiple burns they could all see were from him being electrocuted somehow. Burns which covered his chest, back, arms, and they could only assume his legs as well. Him being alive still must have meant that Gothel had healed him just enough to keep him so, though not enough to take away his misery and suffering.

Tiana spoke up from where she stood behind them saying, "What that witch has done to him is barbaric. But why this? There must be a reason."

"We may only know the answer to that question once he awakens," Gold replied after he stepped forward and waved his hand over Hook's body to see if his magic could detect what had been done to him, only to discover it couldn't. "You should be able to use your magic to heal him, Regina. His fever though, is another story. That comes from the coldness of the river and heat of the anguish he's endured. I'm afraid you will have to tend to him the long way."

"I'll do whatever I have to," the former Evil Queen responded to him without looking away from Hook, while she raised her hands with Tiger Lily, and together they carefully began to heal him. "I don't care how long it takes."

Henry returned shortly after with the cool water he filled a decanter with from the river and poured it into the basin lying upon a table nearby, then carefully set them both down on the ground beside the two women caring for his friend. When he finished, everyone aside from Regina and the fairy left the tent, while Alice remained as close by as she dared to stay so she wouldn't cause her father anymore pain.

Over the next several hours throughout the night, the woman who loved Hook and Tiger Lily continued to stay by him while they helped him to fight against the raging fever, which only burned hotter despite their efforts to bring it down. In the meantime, Hook never awoke as he remained trapped within the throws of his pain and the nightmares and memories which plagued his mind.

 _The first of which brought Hook back to one of the most painful nights of his life as he became reminded of his deepest regret, when he saw himself return to the tower where his daughter remained a prisoner on account of Gothel and then climb up it to enter the window into the room in which he and Alice lived together until that very night._

 _Inside, Alice sat in front of her easel while she painted on the canvas before her until Hook knocked his hook up against the wood of the wall beside him as he entered with his bag over his back and smiled when she saw him while she happily exclaimed, "_ _Papa! I was starting to worry."_

 _When he stepped down from the window and walked around the painting his daughter was working on, he looked over at her lovingly and gently answered her, "There's no need to worry, Starfish. I'm here now."_

 _"I have something in here that can smash this tower to pieces," he continued once he pulled his bag in front of him, then pulled out the magical weapon the Captain had left to seek out… Maui's fishhook made of what appeared to be ivory, or even bone, and held it up for Alice to see._

 _Alice smiled and stood from her stool as she set her paints and paintbrush down before she turned back to her father and walked over to embrace him. However, in the moment they both touched, Hook gasped in pain as he was suddenly flung back heavily against the wall behind him by some magical force not yet known to them, then he collapsed against the floor in a heap._

 _"Papa?" she questioned fearfully upon him being hurt and hearing him exhale sharply before crying out in agony._

 _As he raised his hand over his heart in his chest, Hook painfully screamed, "Aah!"_

 _She started to run towards her father, until another dark force then overwhelmed her as well, as Alice swiftly took several steps back and grabbed hold of her wrist in pain when a brand suddenly became burned into her skin while she whimpered, "Ohh! What's happening?"_

 _"I… I don't know," Hook replied with heavy strain in his voice while he continued to writhe against the anguish over his heart._

 _"But I do," another voice responded from behind Alice as she immediately spun around to see the witch she didn't yet know then to be her mother standing before them._

 _Hook glared up at the villainess from the floor as he asked weakly, "What did you do to me?"_

 _Gothel cruelly answered, "No less than you deserve. You're poisoned now, and it will corrupt your heart every time Alice draws near. You've both been marked."_

 _"Please don't do this," Alice then pleaded with the witch as Gothel turned her head to finally look at her daughter. "He's my father. He's a good man."_

 _"Not good enough," the nymph retorted darkly when she turned her eyes back on the man who shunned her years ago. "Your father went on a little detour because there's more important things to him than his daughter. He fought a duel for his precious honor."_

 _While Hook continued to breathe shakily as the pain burned within his chest, Alice turned around again to look down at him with disappointment in her eyes and then sadly she replied, "You didn't come right back. You promised me."_

 _He struggled to keep his eyes on his daughter while he regretfully responded, "I only stopped for a moment. I swear."_

 _"How did you do this to me?" the Captain then asked the witch as he continued to breathe heavily._

 _"I simply made sure the bullet was poisoned," Gothel answered darkly, while Alice turned back to her as she spoke. "Your pride did the rest."_

 _Gothel then raised her hands and used her power to poof Hook away from the tower within a thick cloud of smoke as the young girl watched him vanish from before her despite her effort to run to him and she fearfully cried out, "Papa!"_

 _She sighed in worry, then uttered again, "Papa."_

 _When the dark cloud of magic surrounding him cleared once more, Hook struggled to move and rise to his feet. He discovered what had happened upon finding himself upon the ground outside just below the tower which now loomed over him, then turned his head weakly as Gothel appeared before him again._

 _"You can't keep me from her," he shouted out at her angrily while he continued to try to rise despite feeling so weak and in such pain. "I will get her out."_

 _"No," the witch replied plainly, yet cruelly once more, as she bent down to pick up the fishhook he had collected in hope of freeing his daughter from the tower so she could take it away from him. "You will fail her again and again. You might as well go back to the tavern and have another drink."_

 _All of a sudden, from the room high above them, Alice cried out to him, "Papa, where are you?! Save me!"_

 _Hook made another effort to hurtle himself towards Gothel to try to fight her for the magical weapon only to fail, while she looked down on the pirate captain at her feet and said coldly, "Such a heartbreaking cry for help."_

 _"Papa, please help!" his daughter pleaded from above them._

 _"I couldn't let you free her," the witch continued cruelly. "And now you never will."_

 _Gothel vanished as she left Hook on his knees while he continued to breathe heavily through the anguish in his heart, then he stared despondently and regretfully towards the room in the tower again as Alice cried, "Please, Papa… save me! Help me, Papa! Please! Help me!"_

More cruel memories and nightmares continued to torment Hook long through the night and well into the next morning while his fever raged on within him against all of Regina's and Tiger Lily's efforts to try to ease his suffering. Some even repeated themselves over and over until at last, the final memory which tormented him came.

 _Somewhere within the middle of the forest, Hook was speaking with Regina of his daughter after the Queen had finished telling him about her earlier encounter with Drizella when she had begun the young woman's lessons in magic, as he stood over Regina, who was sitting down on a fallen tree nearby, and questioned, "This tower that you went to… you said it was in ruins?"_

 _"The place was completely destroyed," she reluctantly responded upon seeing the sadness in her friend's eyes._

 _"Papa?" he then suddenly heard spoken quietly from behind him until he turned around and found his daughter standing a few feet away as she smiled at him, while Henry and Ella both stood nearby as well upon leading the girl to their friend._

 _At first, Hook stared at her in disbelief while he whispered, "Alice?"_

 _Then with relief, he started walking towards her as he asked, "Alice, is it really you?"_

 _"Yes… yes, it's me," she answered and suddenly began to laugh upon seeing him again after so long. "But is it really you? You're… you're so young."_

 _"It was magic," her father replied while he laughed as well until he grew serious once more upon freezing where he stood, then backed away and walked around her when he suddenly remembered he couldn't go near her on account of his heart. "I just… Alice, what… what happened? How did you, uh… How did you escape the tower without me?"_

 _The young girl from Wonderland turned with him and responded, "Well… it's a long story, Papa, but… Well, I'm here now."_

 _Alice started towards him as she raised her arms out to embrace him in a hug until Hook quickly backed away from her again in despair while he stuttered, "No, no, no. Don't. You know my heart is poisoned. You can't come near me."_

 _"No, it's okay," she answered desolately, despite the smile she kept on her face just for him. "I… I found a cure. I've been shielded."_

 _"A cure?" Hook then whispered almost in fear, desperately wanting to believe it to be so._

 _His daughter nodded as she happily replied, "Yes, Papa."_

 _They both laughed again when Hook moved in to pull Alice into his arms out of joy while he responded, "I've missed you so much."_

 _"Papa, no!" Alice then fearfully cried, when the joy that had fallen behind them a moment ago vanished painfully as her father suddenly screamed in agony while he became forced back through the air until he landed hard against the ground, then continued to cry out and writhe in pain because of the poison within his heart becoming activated once more at her touch._

 _"Hook?" Regina shouted worryingly when she started towards the Captain so she could help him, then knelt down above him. "Hook!"_

 _The girl shouted angrily, "This isn't supposed to happen! We're cured!"_

 _All of a sudden, Alice took off running to get away from her father out of fear and shame for hurting him, while Henry called out to her, "Wait, Alice, no! Wait!"_

 _"Go after her," Regina quickly commanded her son out of concern for the young woman as well as Hook too. "I'll take care of Hook."_

"Alice…" Hook suddenly uttered weakly within thrall of his suffering, while he struggled to break through his anguish and awaken at last. "Please… don't go. I'm so… I'm sor… sorry. Forgive… For… forgive me."

Upon hearing him begin to talk again, Regina immediately leaned forward and tenderly began to caress his face in an effort to help him come back to her, then whispered, "Killian? It's all right. I'm here and so are you. You're safe again. You got away from her. Please… come back. You're going to be okay. I promise."

When she heard both of them speaking to one another, Tiger Lily slowly rose to her feet despite how exhausted she was from staying up all night to fight against his fever and then she stated, "I'll go inform the others he's awakening."

"Thank you," Regina swiftly answered with sincerity in her eyes, when the Queen looked up at the Orange Fairy just before she walked out of the tent to leave them alone.

"You're welcome," the fairy from Neverland replied. "I think he's going to be okay now."

When Tiger Lily walked out of the tent, Alice was right there while she peered in through the open flap towards her father and watched as the woman who loved him continued to tend to him, then the older woman whispered, "Your father will be alright. He's finally past the worst and he's slowly coming to."

The girl from Wonderland and other places like she so adamantly continued to correct those who say otherwise, then turned to her and responded quietly, "Thank you. Not just for staying with him last night, but… Well, for everything. For helping me find him."

"There's nowhere else I would have rather been," the Orange Fairy answered sincerely.

Alice followed Tiger Lily away from her father's tent to go and talk with the others before Ella finally guided the young woman to another tent at the far end of their camp where Alice could get some sleep, knowing her father wouldn't be awake enough to really talk for some time. Both the fairy and Rumplestiltskin finally left upon learning Hook would be well again soon, while the rest of the heroes also returned to their own tents so they could sleep as well. Regina was the only one among them who remained awake as she stayed with Hook.

A short time later, Regina was continuing to wipe his body down with the fresh cool water Henry had kept drawing from the river for her throughout the night, until Hook slowly opened his eyes and weakly looked around him in fear and confusion. The Queen stopped her ministrations again, then gently laid her hands over the sides of his face in an effort to comfort him and to assure him he was safe again. The Captain finally looked up into her eyes and at last saw the face of the woman he loved.

"Welcome back," she whispered with relief in her voice as she spoke. "You had me really scared last night, Killian. I was afraid…"

Hook reached up to lay his hand over one of her own before she finished and then replied softly, "Me too."

A minute passed before either of them spoke again as he then asked, "What… what happened? The last thing I re… remember is… running. I was running. Away from her… Gothel I think. And then the river…"

"You managed to escape from wherever Gothel was holding you," Regina finally cut in to help him try to remember. "We don't know for sure, but we think that you must have jumped into the river in order to get away from her once and for all. She must have been chasing you through the woods. Taunting you really. I have a feeling she enjoyed hunting you down until you spoiled her fun. You saved yourself really. Can you remember what happened to you while you were her prisoner? Or where you were being held?"

"She called the chamber… Memento… Memento Mori," Killian responded, struggling to think back to the night before. "A shop filled with dark magic, run by an all-powerful medium and witch. Madame Leota. But… it was only her spirit. She was no more than a floating head inside her crystal ball. Her power was… unlike any pain I've felt before, but it wasn't just her power. Gothel's too. She cast some sort of spell over me."

The Queen continued to look down at him as she asked, "What kind of spell?"

He then closed his eyes and turned away from her, as he lied somewhat upon feeling the shame of what he feared would happen to him should Drizella succeed in casting her dark curse when he answered, "I don't know. But whatever it was… I don't think it worked. Gothel and Leota… said something how they failed. I can't remember much more."

"Killian… stay with me," Regina urged him out of concern when Hook slowly began to adhere to unconsciousness once again, in hope of trying to keep him awake for a little bit longer. "Please. Tell me about what you were dreaming about. You were uttering a little in your sleep. About Alice… And the curse…?"

"I was standing alone… somewhere I couldn't see because my vision was hazy," the Captain said quietly when he weakly opened his eyes again, though he could only stare up at the roof of the tent above him in order to avoid looking into his love's eyes as he struggled to stay awake. "But you were all nearby too. I could hear your voices quietly as if in a distance. And there was a dark cloud looming near us. I watched helplessly as it fell over us, trapping us under Gothel's curse. Drizella may be the one who will cast it, but it's really Gothel who will try to destroy us if we fail to stop them. I saw you, and Alice, and Henry, as well as the rest of our loved ones… suffering and dying… all because… because of me."

The Queen took his face gently in her hands again to try to help him focus on her again while she replied, "That's not true. If we can't stop this curse from coming, it won't be your fault. Only the witches who are responsible for casting it."

Hook finally looked into her eyes and responded, "I was the one who made it possible for her to escape from the tower. Just as I was responsible for Alice becoming the tower's prisoner in Gothel's place… all those years alone. She made a fool of me. And Alice… she doesn't even remember much from that night, except for what little I told her. She remembers Gothel appearing before her and seeing her rip me away from her. But she doesn't remember Gothel burning the mark for the curse of the poisoned heart into her wrist, or why it all happened. Or even screaming out for me to come and save her until she couldn't any longer. I feared that Gothel had returned to the tower and stole a portion of her memory of that night away from my daughter, but it's possible Alice may have simply blocked out the trauma to help her cope with the pain."

"So… I wrote her a letter and… had it delivered to her before I finally left the tower to drown my sorrows in ru… rum and anything else to help… to help me forget my sins," he continued more sorrowfully when he closed his eyes again while he slowly drifted off out of exhaustion. "I told her what she needed to know about the poison… in my heart and why… why I couldn't be near her any longer. I told her a witch had cursed us because of a mistake I selfishly made. I couldn't tell her the… then that Gothel was her mother, or the whole truth about why she was trapped… in that tower. Not until I finally did thanks to you, yet even then I… I still couldn't… tell her everything. I told her Gothel rendered her uncon… unconscious. I couldn't tell Alice she suppressed the memory because I don't know why she can't remember. So I lied even then… because I'm a coward. Still… still a coward."

"You're far too hard on yourself, Killian," Regina gently whispered to him despite the man she loved finally losing his battle with consciousness, then she laid down within the blankets beside him and held him close to her to offer him the comfort she knew he desperately needed. "Gothel is the one who's done this to you and Alice. You may have made some mistakes, but we all have. We're human. You don't deserve to have this blame festering inside of you. If you don't let it go, it will destroy you. Just like Gothel wants. Try to sleep in peace. I'm right here and Alice is safe. It's thanks to her that we found you. She loves you so much. No matter what happened that night. You're a good man, Hook."


	31. Chapter 31

Whipping Boy

Chapter Thirty-One

Two mornings later…

Hook walked outside of his tent for the first time since he had been abducted with Tiana's help upon him still feeling drained of most of his strength, after Regina had left the camp earlier that morning to bathe down in the river. Outside of the tents within the camp which surrounded them, Henry was holding his still unnamed daughter in his arms while he and Ella were both talking with Jack, who returned to his old friends upon hearing the news that they had given birth to a child. Though he had betrayed them some time ago and then was banished from the rebel camp for being a traitor, Henry and Ella still welcomed him back just long enough for a special ceremony in which they planned to announce their daughter's name.

 _When they felt they could no longer wait for Regina to return on account of a mission of importance some of them were about to leave on with Lady Tremaine, despite the worry that settled within Henry's and Hook's hearts when she had yet to come back from the river, the new parents turned around to face the rest of their friends as Henry spoke above the baby's crying with joy saying, "_ _I'd like you all to meet… Lucy."_

 _Their friends around them all clapped and then with sincerity Jack responded, "_ _That is amazing._ _Henry Mills is a father."_

 _"_ _Congratulations," Princess Tiana replied happily as well._ _"_ _She looks strong."_

 _"_ _Uh… where's my mom?" Henry then asked when he looked towards Hook hoping he knew why she wasn't back yet. "She should be here by now."_

 _The Captain was about to answer, until Drizella suddenly appeared before them as she answered instead, "Oh, Regina's fine. She's just a little detained."_

 _Hook and Jack quickly pulled their swords from the sheaths they wore at their sides as Tiana prepared to do the same, while Henry looked sternly at the younger woman in front of him and responded, "Stay away from my daughter."_

 _"Such a worried papa," she replied haughtily, though she made no move to threaten them notwithstanding what she may or may not have done to Regina who was still missing among them. "No need to be. I'm only here to deliver a message. Well… more accurately, a prophecy. A curse is coming. On your darling child's eighth birthday, all your lives as you know them will end."_

 _"Perhaps you misread the prophecy, love," Hook self-assuredly retorted, as he put on a brave face even though on the inside he feared the curse for reasons he still had yet to speak to anyone about, then stepped forward with his cutlass raised in front of him in defense. "Because you missed the part where we defeat you."_

 _The older of Rapunzel's daughters raised her hands above her as she prepared to strike down the pirate out of anger for his cockiness, until Henry threateningly called out, "Drizella, I wouldn't. Look down."_

 _Upon seeing his eyes motion to the ground beneath her feet, Drizella looked down like he warned her and all of a sudden, a cruel kind of magic began to crawl up her legs as it crackled upon her body slowly being turned into stone, then she exhaled sharply out of fear while she angrily cried, "This is blood magic. How is this possible?"_

 _"With a spatter of my blood, of course," Lady Tremaine answered when the villainess then walked out from one of the rebels' tents to stand beside Henry and her stepdaughter much to Drizella's surprise. "I simply can't have you casting the curse, dear."_

 _"This changes nothing," the villainess' daughter responded curtly as she glared between Lady Tremaine and each of the heroes standing before her. In eight years, I'll be back, and you'll learn what true suffering is."_

Once the blood magic took its course, as Drizella finally became no more than a stone statue before them, Lady Tremaine turned and walked away from the heroes to wait for them to join with her on their mission, while Ella immediately turned to her husband fearfully as she whispered, "Tell me that encasing my stepsister in stone put a stop to this curse. Please tell me she can't be of any more harm to us."

Hook also stepped away from them with his head bowed in misery, while Henry looked into Ella's eyes as he continued to hold their daughter in his arms, and replied, "Take it easy. It's going to be okay now. We did it. We stopped Drizella. She can't hurt us anymore no matter what she said. Her prophecy can't come to pass now that she's trapped."

The Captain was about to confess to them as he had to Regina the other night about how he feared Gothel was the true threat to them. However, it was then that Regina suddenly came running towards them from the direction of the river with concern on her face upon seeing Drizella's statue.

"What happened here?" she asked her son and the others worryingly once she reached them. "Is everyone okay?"

"It's all right, Mom," Henry then answered her as well. "Drizella didn't come here to hurt us. She was only giving us a warning… that her curse would be coming in eight years time. But the blood magic Lady Tremaine cast for us worked just like she said it would. She can't cast the curse any longer. What about you? Are you okay? Where were you?"

The former Evil Queen walked over to stand beside Hook as she took his hand in her own, then responded, "I was busy fighting off the tree roots someone I couldn't see use magic to wrap around me so that I could barely move. I'm guessing now it was Drizella. Either that or it was Gothel from somewhere nearby. I eventually broke free of them, but I have a feeling that whoever it was, they didn't want me here for the prophecy being revealed. Maybe because they knew I might lash out at them in anger. I don't really know, or care. I'm just glad everyone's alright."

They continued to talk as Regina apologized for missing the announcement of her granddaughter's name. However, Hook cautiously looked around them for any sign of the witch nearby until he suddenly saw Alice in the distance upon the hill above them while she was looking down on them. Knowing she had come again to continue to make sure he was okay, the Captain pointed his daughter out to Regina to let her know where he was going, then walked away to go speak with her so he could assure her once and for all that he was fine.

Once Alice saw her father coming towards her, as she saw how slowly he walked on account of him still not quite being back to his old self yet, she backed far enough away from the edge of the hill and him, then waited for him to appear before her. When he finally did, she just smiled at him and he at her while neither of them said a word until the girl from Wonderland was finally the first to break the silence.

While she stood far enough away from him to keep from activating the poison in his heart, Hook's daughter wiped the tears in her eyes away, then uttered, "You're looking a little better. Though you're walking slower than you used to. Even when you were older."

"I'll admit… I'm still a little weak," he replied sadly and out of breath as he looked into her eyes, then leaned up against a tree beside him in order for it help him to remain upright. "But I'm alright again, Starfish. I promise."

"I'm so sorry, Papa," the girl then stated again with worry, while she fought to hold back her urge to charge forward and embrace him in a hug she so desperately wished she could give him. "The other day in the forest… when you were caught protecting me from that horrible woman's men… I didn't mean to get you captured, let alone taken by that witch too. I didn't mean to hurt you. I was just coming to see…"

Hook finally interrupted her as he answered assuredly, "You're not to blame for me getting captured. We were both outnumbered. I'm just grateful you weren't harmed that day too."

Alice looked into his eyes sadly while she asked, "Are you sure that you're okay? I mean… really okay? When we found you down by the river, you were so ill. And you were badly hurt. I didn't ever see what Gothel did to you, but Regina and the others told me some of what you suffered. About as much as you could tell her that is. It's no wonder you're still feeling so weak."

"Like I said… I'll be right as rain in no time," her father whispered sincerely, as he pulled the black rook he always carried with him from his vest's pocket and then held it out for her to see it. "I have this to give me strength since I can't be near you any more than we are right now. I love you very much, Starfish. Never forget that."

"I won't, Papa," his daughter said to him steadfastly. "I love you too. And… please try to remember that I don't blame you for what Gothel did to us. I still see you as my white knight just as I always have. I don't remember everything from the night we were cursed, but I dream of it from time to time. And I do remember that witch taunting you. You are a good man, Papa."

With that said, Alice quickly turned and ran away while Hook watched after her until she disappeared from his view. Even once she was gone, he continued to stand against the tree while he stared down at the chess piece still grasped tightly within his hand, until Regina appeared beside him and pulled him from his thoughts. Together, they returned to the others again within the safety of their camp.


	32. Chapter 32

Whipping Boy

Chapter Thirty-Two

Back in Hyperion Heights…

Tilly, who now remembered her true identity as Alice, the girl from Wonderland and other places, uneasily walked inside the apartment building where she knew the witch holding her father as her prisoner once again lived, then she made her way up the stairs to the right apartment until she stood just outside of Eloise's door, hesitant to knock despite knowing what she had come to do. She took a few breaths in and out, then finally turned her open hand into a fist and raised it to knock on the door twice before she took a few steps back to wait for Gothel to answer.

Unfortunately, she was greeted by one of the coven leader's other sisters instead, as Minerva was the one who opened the door to her. The youngest of the witches looked down at the girl with suspicion while Tilly just stared at her nervously, then knowing Gothel would want to speak with her no matter the girl's reasons for being there were, she stepped aside and motioned for her sister's daughter to come in.

"Tilly… Well, I'm surprised to see you," Gothel said to her with pleasant surprise when Tilly worryingly entered inside, then found the vile woman sitting on her couch in her living room among her other three sisters, and her father who was sitting on the couch beside the witch as she had her arm draped across his shoulders, while she tenderly caressed his cheek with her free hand. "I've been hoping you would change your mind about wanting to talk with me. Please come in and have a seat wherever you would like. My sisters and I were just enjoying a quiet evening here at my place. Detective Rogers too, of course. Can either of us get you something to drink? Or to eat too, if you'd like?"

"No… thank you," Tilly quietly replied, pretending to still remain asleep under the false memories brought on by the witch's curse as she walked further inside, until she came around the couch and looked at her father worryingly when she saw he still appeared to be staring off at nothing in front of him like Weaver had told her from his confrontation with him and the witches the other day, then she glanced over again at Gothel before she took a seat in one of the chairs across from where they were sitting and continued. "I came here… I just came here tonight because… well, because I wanted to give you a chance to share your side of the story. I can't deny the things you told me that night in the hospital made me curious. And Rogers is looking much better now than the last time I saw him. Whatever you did… however you healed him, it really worked."

Eloise smiled and then answered, "I'm so happy you changed your mind. I would love to talk to you. To get to know you."

However, the young woman immediately corrected herself a little as she responded, "Me too, only if we do… I'd like to talk with you in private like you initially told me we could here within your apartment. I can't have Detective Rogers here, or your friends. I wouldn't know what to say in front of them. Please…"

"Of course, you're right," her mother replied to her in agreement, then looked between the three women among them as the three witches stood up to leave, before she also finally turned her head to look over at the man she claimed was her husband. "Darling… I need you to go with my sisters again so I can talk with Tilly here."

"It's all right," she immediately assured him when Rogers strangely lifted his head and actually looked into Gothel's eyes with confusion. "They're just going to take you out for a little while for some fresh air. I'm afraid I've kept you cooped up in here a little longer than I probably should have, out of fear something might happen to you again. Even if we did go outside the other day."

Finally, Rogers simply nodded his head and stood up to join with the other women as they opened the door again to leave the apartment. The woman he believed to be his wife waved at him until he walked out, then he followed along with Minerva, Draya, and Madame Leota while they guided him outside of the building. However, things didn't go for the witches like they planned, when each of them were then swiftly attacked from behind them as Detective Weaver, Regina, and Zelena each suddenly appeared with a taser in their hands and knocked them all unconscious.

The younger detective still trapped until Gothel's dark magic stared down at the women in shock, then slowly began to back away from the dark haired woman from the bar and the man who had approached him days ago out of fear when they both turned to him and attempted to assure him everything was all right. However, a damp cloth was suddenly pressed over his nose and mouth from behind him when Chad appeared to render him unconscious as well with the use of chloroform instead of a taser, since they didn't want to hurt him anymore than he'd already been hurt.

Regina immediately dashed forward to help Chad catch Rogers once he was out when he collapsed within the doctor's arms, then he spoke quietly while he glared up at Gold's face and spoke quietly saying, "I can't believe I actually let you talk me into this. I know what we're about to do is meant to help him, but I still feel like I'm betraying all the good I've tried to do ever since I realized I wanted to be a doctor to save people."

While Regina tenderly caressed Rogers' face as she held him in her arms, Weaver looked down at the doctor and answered despondently, "Believe me, I understand the lack of morality in what we're asking of you, but I assure you that when we're through and Rogers is once again his true self, he will be most grateful to you for helping him, and you will be proud of what you've done."

"In the meantime, we can contend with him all we like, but let's first get Rogers up off the sidewalk and get out of view from the public before anyone sees us kidnapping him, or these other witches wake up again," Zelena quickly responded, then she picked up the tasers which her fiancé and sister had used on them moments ago from the ground now lying beside them so they wouldn't leave them behind, while Chad helped Regina lift the man she loved up from off the ground as well and together, they carefully held him between them as they at last made their way down and across the streets through the neighborhood until they finally arrived with their friend at the hospital.

"How are we going to get inside without anyone noticing us carrying an unconscious man between us?" Chad then asked while they remained standing within an alley close by to avoid being seen by anyone walking around within the parking lot.

Gold smiled as he turned to face the doctor again and then replied, "Thankfully, I know someone on the inside who will be more than happy to help us out. She's an old friend of ours and while she may not remember who she really is either, she's a friend of Detective Weaver's too. She's helped me out once before, after I had been shot. Long story… Now, wait here. I'll go get her."

Kelly looked over at her sister in confusion as she asked, "Do you have any idea what he's talking about?"

"No," Roni answered with just as much confusion in her eyes as well. "I didn't know we had any old friends working here at the hospital. But then… it's not like I've come here very often for anything."

After they waited a few minutes, Regina guided Rogers and Chad a little further into the alley until they were outside of the light shining down on them moments earlier from the streetlights above them, then carefully helped the doctor to lay their friend down on the ground again while the Queen gently lifted Rogers' upper body back into her arms to hold him until Weaver returned with whoever else he dragged into this mess to help them.

Thankfully, they didn't have to wait too long before their friend returned to them, using the sounds of their voices to help him to find them again despite the shadows they hid under to help them keep out of sight, and both Regina and Zelena were pleasantly surprised to see someone who was indeed an old friend with him as she pushed a gurney along with her.

"Roni… Kelly and Chad… I'd like you all to meet Nurse Lily Tomko," the senior detective stated to them in introduction, though those who were from the fairytale world knew her better as Tiger Lily. "Miss. Tomko here is more than willing to help us sneak Rogers here inside the hospital and down to the room where we'll be taking care of him. She understands our friend's been heavily drugged and severely abused by the woman claiming to be his wife, and wants to help him even if it means breaking a few rules to do it."

"I've seen my fair share of women who have been victims of spousal abuse," Lily responded when she knelt down in front of Rogers and those holding him. "And while your friend may be the first male victim I've ever encountered, it's not unheard of that he can be a victim too. Weaver told me a little of what's been happening to him. I'm so sorry. But if you'll trust me with him, I can bring him down to the room Weaver's told me about upon the gurney with a blanket up over him so anyone who might see us will believe I'm bringing a body down to the morgue. The rest of you can follow shortly after pretending you're there to visit a friend or relative if anyone asks."

Regina looked down at the man she loved still in her arms again and caressed his cheek once more as worry appeared in her eyes, then she finally looked over at the fairy again while she replied, "Your plan is actually a really good one. If Weaver can trust you, then so can I."

Lily saw the worry, as well as her love for the man in her arms in her eyes and asked gently, "You love this man, don't you? Even though he's married to another woman?"

"Their marriage is fake," the former Queen curtly answered her, though she realized then she didn't have to acknowledge anything. "It's a long story, but Rogers isn't really married to this woman at all. He would never marry her in his right mind, especially when he's… in love with…"

"In love with you," the woman appearing to be of Native American descent responded kindly. "You don't have to explain. It's not my place. I may not know what's happened, but I believe you. I promise, I will look after him until each of you join us again."

With this said, she stood again and pulled the gurney closer, then pulled the blanket away while Chad and Regina carefully lifted Rogers once again from the ground and laid him on top of it. Lily then laid the blanket over him, covering his head as well to make it appear as though he were dead so she would be able to wheel him through the hospital without much notice or suspicion. Regina reached down to squeeze Roger's hand as if for her own reassurance, before the nurse who was really a fairy wheeled him away and entered the hospital. After waiting for ten minutes to walk inside themselves, Regina, Gold, Zelena, and Chad finally followed after her. Thankfully, no one really paid them any mind.


	33. Chapter 33

Whipping Boy

Chapter Thirty-Three

Meanwhile…

Once the other sisters of Gothel's coven had left the apartment with Rogers, Tilly continued to sit before the coven leader without uttering another word as her hands shook nervously within her lap while she looked around the apartment, until finally the woman who was her mother by birth spoke soothingly again saying, "You seem awfully nervous, Tilly dear. I assure you, you needn't be with me. I am your mother and I care about you. Very much. Are you sure I can't get you something to eat? Perhaps… a marmalade sandwich? I know how much you like marmalade."

Tilly looked at Eloise again in confusion as she answered, "How could you possibly know that? Have you been spying on me? You may be my mother, but you've never been around. I mean… you might have lived on the streets like I've been doing for some time, then went and got taken captive by that awful Victoria Belfrey, but… before that and even after Rogers freed you… You never came around to see me. What's changed your mind now?"

 _"My sweet child…_ _I am truly sorry I never saw it sooner," Eloise responded tenderly in hope of bringing her daughter over to her side so she would join her and her coven, as she should have been a part of from the beginning had she known the truth about Tilly's gifts. "How special you are. Had I known you were like us, things would've been very different for you."_

"You see, I have a gift for finding special people…" the witch continued, after taking a moment to think her words through carefully. "Outcasts… exiles… But if you would be willing to get to know me now… if you would allow me to be your mother now, we can be a family. The family you've always wanted. Join me and our sisters. And I will be the mother you've always wanted."

Tilly looked at her with anger in her eyes until she stood up while she asked out of frustration, "Why couldn't you have been there for me before? Why did you have to go and abandon me? And if you truly do care for me, why couldn't you have just left Detective Rogers alone? I don't understand why you had to go and hurt him as you've done. He's a good man and I hate you for what you've done to him. All he's wanted was to be there for me like… like a…"

Gothel looked her daughter in her eyes as she darkly replied, "Like a father? Look… the truth is, I never imagined the connection between you and him would continue to be so strong after we were all brought here to this land. You didn't remember one another and yet… yet you've found each other despite what I've done."

"Now you're just talking in riddles and nothing is making any sense," the young woman said again, pretending still to remain in the dark about everything even though she knew exactly what Gothel was talking about. "This land? What exactly have you done? And how do Rogers and I fit into whatever you're trying to tell me?"

"Remember how I asked you in the hospital why you felt such a strong connection to Rogers, Tilly?" her mother then asked coolly, when she motioned for Tilly to take a seat on the couch beside her until she finally did so.

The girl from Wonderland looked at the witch as she answered sadly, "Of course I remember. I've spent the last few days thinking it over and over in my mind trying to understand why myself. And I finally felt the answer in my heart to be true and it's that Rogers is really my father. Isn't he? You knew and yet you kept him from me. You kidnapped him and have done all this to him, yet you expect me to pretend like everything's okay and live the rest of my life under the same delusion you created for yourself. Or perhaps trapped in my head like you've somehow done to him?"

The witch reached out to lay her hand over Tilly's hand and then responded, "I know it may seem cruel to you what I've done to him, sweet girl. But the truth is I am protecting him from the cruelty of humanity. Your father is just so stubborn. Magic is soon going to return and it will finally destroy all of those who seek to harm the beauty of this world. I only wish to protect Rogers and you… my daughter so that we can all live together in peace. I care for the both of you."

"You certainly have a funny way of showing how much you care for my father," Tilly retorted in anger, as she coarsely pulled her hand back out from under Eloise's hand and then stood again. "And the truth is, I don't believe you. About loving him that is. And I don't believe he actually married you before all of this was done to him either. You've somehow faked the marriage just like Roni said you did."

"Tilly dear, please listen to me…" Gothel pleaded when she stood up in front of her daughter as well to bar her way as she urged her to stay by taking her hands into her own once more when Alice started walking towards the door to leave. "I only wish to help you figure out which side you truly belong on. Please allow me to show you just how much I love you and your father too. Because I really do."

 _The young woman sighed as her eyes softened and she looked at her mother as though she appeared to believe her, until Alice pulled her hands away from her again, then unwaveringly replied, "Whatever you might be… you're no mother to me."_

Gothel glared at her darkly upon her daughter giving her final answer, but before the witch could say anything more, the door to her apartment opened forcefully as the other witches of her coven returned while Leota spoke angrily saying, "Rogers is gone. His friends managed to sneak up as they pulled tasers on us and shocked us until we lost consciousness and then collapsed on the ground. We only woke up a few minutes ago. We couldn't see who it was, but it must have Detective Weaver and Her Majesty, the Evil Queen herself. We're sorry, sister."

"It's a strange coincidence that this child here would happen to come to talk to you at the same time we are assaulted and Rogers is abducted," Minerva continued darkly as she walked around the couch up behind Tilly and loomed over her, then continued her accusation. "Tell us the truth. You've come here to keep Eloise distracted so your friends could steal Rogers away from us… didn't you?"

"I did what I had to do to save my father from all of you," Alice answered proudly, while she suddenly pulled out a canister of mace from her coat pocket to spray it into Minerva's face causing her to scream out of pain, then she also quickly grabbed one of the pillows from off the couch and shoved it forward against the leader of the coven to help her force Gothel back so she could run.

Leota and Draya attempted to block her to keep the girl from leaving when Gothel shouted, "Stop her!"

Tilly shoved her way between the witches trying to block her path of escape, using her mace on Draya as well to break through, and ran from the apartment, then the coven leader darkly spoke again saying, "Go after her. Follow her if you can. I want Rogers found and Tilly on our side. My daughter may not join us willingly here and now, but when she learns she and the others won't be able to keep her father safe from me for long, she will come back to us and do what we need her to if she wishes to save him. And then we will wipe out all of humanity from this realm once and for all."

Inside the basement of the hospital…

"Are you sure that you really want to follow through with this?" Chad then asked when he finished preparing Rogers, who was still lying unconscious upon the gurney and now hooked up to a heart monitor for the doctor to be able to read his vitals once they finally got underway with their plan to save him. "What we're doing isn't just against the law, but it's dangerous."

"Do you know what you're doing?" Gold questioned him when he walked from around the machine so that he was standing in front of the heroes' newest friend. "Do you trust in your abilities as a doctor to help us to save his life?"

Zelena moved away from her sister, who was standing above the man she loved while she continued to hold his hand, then the witch joined her own love as she laid her hand over the small of his back in support and whispered, "You can do this, Chad. I know you can. It's unconventional and it's dangerous, but Gold is right… it is the only choice we have if we're going to help our friend."

Chad looked over into his fiancée's eyes, seeing her fear for Rogers in them like he saw in Regina's eyes and even Gold's as well, then finally he relented upon understanding their desperate pleas as he responded, "You're right. Of course… I'll do what I can for him. I can do this. Just know this is going to take some time. A long time. This will be far from easy."

"Fighting evil never is easy," Regina replied softly without looking away from the man she loved. "Believe us, we all know better than anyone. We were all once villains and we were cruel in the things we did to try to destroy those we despised. But love eventually brought us all around and changed us for the better. It allowed for us to become heroes after a lot of hard work to bring us to this point in our lives. We won't let Gothel or any one else take away those we love."

"I would feel the same way if it was Kelly… Zelena here in this situation," he answered in sincerity as he looked over at the woman still standing beside him again. "All right… First, we need to begin with trying to flush the toxins and drugs, or whatever else this witch put in him from his system. Regina… you said it was some kind of toxin from a plant?"

The former Evil Queen nodded when she finally looked away from Rogers to look over at Chad and responded, "Yes. At least that's what she told me. A plant toxin would show up in his blood even if it is magic, wouldn't it?"

The doctor sighed and walked around to the table nearby the gurney where a number of medical supplies as well as a microscope sat thanks to Tiger Lily, or Lily Tomko, bringing most of it down for him before she returned to her duties throughout the rest of the hospital, then he picked up a syringe to be able to draw Rogers' blood with while he replied, "We can only hope so. Magic is your world, but since she's injected him with it as often as you've said, I can't imagine it wouldn't be detectable."

"While you're doing what you're doing, I'll be standing guard to make sure we remain alone for as long as this takes," Weaver said quietly, then walked away from them to stand by the door where he would be able to see through one of the windows of the room nearby which they had covered up with spare blankets to keep anyone from seeing in if anyone came down.

"I'm sorry," Chad then whispered, when he bent down beside the younger detective and carefully injected the needle into Rogers' arm to draw some of his blood so he would be able to look at the substance through the scope in hope of finding traces of the toxins.

Thankfully, upon examining his blood, traces were found and so the doctor continued to work as he did all he needed to do to flush the toxins from Rogers' system by starting him on a full detox, while keeping a close eye on the heart monitor to keep watch over his vitals to make sure his patient continued to remain okay. It took hours for him to finish the process, though it would take days before the detective would be freed completely from the toxins' effects.

Once Chad finished, he asked Weaver to go speak with his nurse friend about getting him fresh blood, so he would be able to give him the transfusions required to replenish his blood. The senior detective didn't question him. He simply nodded and left while Zelena took his place standing guard until he returned. Regina stayed close to Rogers and the later the hour, the fewer words were spoken between them.

At least until Weaver stood up from the chair he pulled over to sit in while he kept watch upon seeing someone enter the corridor outside of the room, then glanced over at his friends as he stated, "Alice is here. She made it."

He walked over to the door and upon hearing her knock, the senior detective opened the door to her and let her inside as she uttered softly, "I'm sorry I'm late. I couldn't risk any of those horrible women following me. They found me out. I didn't mean… I tried to keep my emotions in check, but… I had to get out of there, so I ran. However, I kept walking through the neighborhood so I could lose them if they came after me. How's my father? Is he going to be okay?"

"I'm afraid it's still going to be awhile yet before we find out whether or not our efforts have paid off," Chad answered the young woman reluctantly when he turned his head to look over at her. "He's doing about as well as I expected him to be doing."

"He's holding on," Regina continued for her sister's fiancé to try to ease Alice's fear for her father. "You know how strong he is. This waiting is killing me too, but when your father wakes up, he'll be himself again. Or at least… he'll be Rogers again. You'll see."

Tilly smiled sadly at the woman she remembered loved her father, then took a seat in one of the hospital's plastic chairs beside her and responded, "Do you think I'll really be able to awaken him? Papa… I mean. So he'll remember who I really am to him?"

Gold then replied, "If anyone can, it'll be you."


	34. Chapter 34

Whipping Boy

Chapter Thirty-Four

Morning slowly came around, though the heroes fighting for Rogers' life were unaware of the time, nor did they even care. Their focus remained solely on their friend while they continued to bring him back to them from Gothel's terror. Gold had no trouble staying awake on account of him having been the Dark One for over two hundred years and not needing sleep, so he had no problem with keeping watch over the others. And while he slept under the thrall of the curses he'd been swept up in, it was still easy enough for him to go days without sleep.

Regina and Alice, though they were both exhausted, remained by Rogers' side as they fought to stay awake out of fear something would happen to the man they both loved… one woman being in love with him and the younger of them being his daughter. Zelena and Chad however grabbed a couple of blankets not being used to cover Rogers and laid down on the floor not too far away to try to get some rest while they waited, unless something should happen and so far, everything seemed to be going fairly well under the dire circumstances.

Alice stared sadly at her father's still face and attempted to reach out to take his hand a few times until she froze, then would always pull back out of fear. Being as close to him like she was, was difficult enough, only because she was afraid that remaining so would cause the poison she now remembered lingered within his heart to become activated again despite the dark curse taking away all magic other than what Gothel managed to wield herself. To touch him worried her even more so. Yet after the girl's fourth attempt, Regina understood what she was thinking.

"It's okay to take his hand, you know," the Queen said to her softly. "So long as the curse is still enacted, magic doesn't exist here in Hyperion Heights. So you can't hurt him."

"But what if I do?" Tilly asked fearfully. "He's already hurting bad enough as it is. I can't hurt him anymore. I want so badly to just be able to reassure him I'm here with him even if he can't remember me. It's just that I… What if the poison in his heart is more powerful than the curse?"

Regina reached down to take one of Rogers' daughter's hands into her own and held it comfortingly while she responded, "In all my years of being the Evil Queen, I never learned of any magic that was more powerful than a dark curse, other than true love. Which is the most powerful magic of all. It may not be the true love you possess for your father that will be what breaks this curse, because he can't remember you. But the one good thing about this curse is that it protects you from being poison to him now. Don't be afraid, Alice."

Upon hearing Regina's words, Chad turned his head towards Zelena, who he was holding in his arms while they continued laying on the floor in rest and whispered, "Is what your sister said true? About true love that is?"

"It is," the former Wicked Witch answered just as quietly. "I've seen it many times and I've even felt it once. But that's a story for another time. Let's just say, that love didn't end well on account that I truly loved him, but he didn't love me enough in return."

Alice pulled her hand free from Regina's and apprehensively raised both of her own over her father's hand once more, until she finally touched his skin when she tenderly wrapped her hands around his. When nothing appeared to happen upon her doing so, Alice suddenly let out a quiet sob out of relief and happiness in at last being able to feel his touch. With no more hesitation, the young woman immediately laid her upper body over his in a tender embrace and held him close while she closed her eyes to listen to the sound of her father's heart beating in his chest, as tears slipped down her cheeks in silence. Rogers didn't awaken, but something else did happen in that moment, which was completely unexpected by everyone, including Gold.

"What is that?" Regina asked out of concern and awe when she looked up upon suddenly seeing what appeared as silver wisps floating through the air of the room from somewhere unknown, then gently urged Alice to look up, while both Zelena and Chad sat up from the floor and stared upon seeing them as well… the doctor staring up at them more out of shock upon seeing real magic for the first time since he'd been told it existed.

Gold followed behind the wisps as they flowed towards his partner while he replied, "I have a pretty good idea."

All of a sudden, the magic flowed down and vanished the moment in which the wisps each entered Rogers' mind through his temples. Alice was about to question again what was happening out of fear for her father, until he then slowly began to awaken as his eyes weakly fluttered open. Regina quickly wiped away her own tears while she held tightly onto Alice as they all waited for him to come to and say something to indicate to them that he was alright. And at last, their patience was finally rewarded.

Rogers frailly turned his head towards Alice and Regina as he struggled to see through the blurriness in his vision, then almost inaudibly whispered, "Til… Tilly? Roni?"

"Rogers!" Regina softly exclaimed out of happiness and relief upon hearing the man she loved utter their names in recognition, even if they were only the ones they were cursed with.

"You're back," Alice stated a little more sadly than she intended to show when he still didn't recognize her to be his daughter, though she was happy he was at least back to being the man he was before Gothel had hurt him all over again. "I'm sorry. We were just so worried about you."

Weaver looked down on him as well while he gently asked, "Do you remember what happened to you, detective?"

His partner closed his eyes again while he weakly raised his hand to his forehead upon feeling the pain still lingering inside of him and the shame from what he could vaguely remember, then responded softly, "Eloise… She did this. Again. I tri… tried to fight… The others too, but… I don't know all that hap… happened. But I remember being burned… over and over by… by some kind of… voltage. A knife… and being rape… raped. I couldn't stop… stop her. I tried… only… I wasn't my… self. Or maybe… maybe I was."

"You weren't yourself, detective," Tilly finally cut in before he could continue reliving the horror of what he suffered over again. "I saw you. We all saw you. You weren't in control over what that vile woman did to you. You were completely out of it."

"Because she drugged you, but when you were in control, you managed to escape from her," Regina added assuredly. "And you found your way back to us. We did everything we could to bring you back, but you did it."

Gold looked between those standing around Rogers while he spoke again saying, "It appears we've succeeded in half of our efforts, which makes his marriage to Eloise… null and void. Excellent work, doctor. And Tilly too… of course. We all worked hard to get Rogers back with us. For the rest… we must be patient, as it will take some time."

Rogers looked up at his partner the best he could in confusion as he uttered, "Marriage?"

"That's a long story," Zelena answered him, while her fiancé began to observe the detective's vitals by checking his pulse and listening to his heart using the stethoscope also given to him to use, when Rogers started growing weary to the point of his pain and exhaustion working to force him to sleep, or to lose consciousness once again. "Try to rest, Rogers. Let us care for you now. In time, your memories will return."

"You are going to be alright," Alice replied despondently when she spoke again, then reached out to hold her father's hand like she had been before once he lost consciousness. "You will be. I promise you, you will be. And this time, I'm not going anywhere. I love you, Papa."


	35. Chapter 35

Whipping Boy

Chapter Thirty-Five

While Alice, Regina, Gold, Zelena, and Chad were working to bring Rogers back within the hospital's basement below, Gothel and Leota arrived within the corridor of the emergency wing above, along with their other two sisters who were both still struggling to recover from the mace in their eyes. They had followed Tilly the best they could after she ran from them and while she wasn't invisible to her mother and her sisters, the girl was fast and knew how to remain invisible from everyone else she might have passed by, especially when she wanted to be.

Unfortunately, they had only lost track of her not far from the hospital. With Rogers being in the condition that he was, Gothel began to suspect the heroes must have brought him there in hope of doing whatever they could to bring their friend back to them through medical means, on account of them having a doctor among them now whom the witches learned some time ago had eventually become privileged to the truth about magic and those he'd met through his fiancée, the former Wicked Witch from Oz.

When the women of the coven walked around, each of them began to question each of the nurses, patients, or anyone else around if they might have seen a young girl with blonde hair and wearing a green colored coat that appeared a bit too big for her, or a small group of people dragging along a tall handsome man with only one hand, who had black hair, facial hair, and wearing all black between them. But everyone simply shook their heads and turned away from the women, or they straightly answered no.

Gothel, still under the identity of Eloise Gardener, then went to speak with the doctor with whom she had an understanding and talked him into having their security team and nurses do a sweep of the hospital in search of her husband and those she suspected were responsible for kidnapping him. Reluctantly, the doctor agreed and their search continued.

When word of the search reached her ears, Nurse Lily Tomko eyed the woman she had been told by Detective Weaver was responsible for hurting his friend and partner coldly, as well as the other women with her, then upon seeing the redness and irritation in one of their eyes, she cautiously approached Minerva and with fake concern she asked, "Excuse me, ma'am, but are you alright? Your eyes… you look like you're in a lot of pain. You should come with me to have them looked at. It won't take long."

Minerva glared at the nurse as she crossly replied, "I'm fine. Thank you. Have you heard the description of the people we're looking for yet? Our sister's husband has been abducted. He was wounded not too long ago and has still been in a lot of pain, so we suspect they might have brought him here."

"I haven't heard," Lily responded while she continued to play dumb in hope of being able to draw her and the others away. "I'm so sorry. What does her husband look like? Or do you have a picture by any chance?"

"He isn't someone who would be hard to miss if he's here," the witch answered in frustration as she pulled a cell phone from her pocket and brought up a picture of Rogers on her screen to show the nurse. "He's quite handsome, as you can see for yourself."

Nurse Tomko looked down at the picture and nodded, the stated, "Indeed he is. Quite handsome. I'm sorry. I certainly haven't seen him around here all night and I've been here for several hours already. It hasn't been too busy, so surely we would have seen him if he came in."

Draya then walked over to them upon seeing her sister talking with the nurse longer than she should have been and retorted, "Unless he was brought in through a different wing, of course. Isn't that right?"

"Right," the woman, whose true identity was taken from her in the curse, sternly replied when she examined the witch now standing in front of her, noticing the irritation in her eyes as well. "What about you? Can I get you anything for your eyes? Mace can be harmful if it's not washed out and the eyes aren't treated carefully."

"We're fine," Minerva's sister responded curtly once again. "Have you seen the man we're looking for, or not? Or the girl we've been describing to everyone here, whom we think is involved in his kidnapping?"

Lily sighed inwardly, and then in frustration she answered, "And I'm telling you… he hasn't been through here or anywhere else throughout this hospital. I've been on all evening so far and it's been a quiet enough night that I would have seen that man, whether he was brought in through here, or through any other corridor. I've been everywhere and right now my feet are killing me. But if you think he's been taken somewhere to be cared for, there is a clinic not too far from here. A clinic, whose doctors and nurses don't ask too many questions. It's possible your friend was taken there."

Draya stared at the nurse for any sign of deception and while it was clear to the witch she was irritated, she couldn't get a hint she was lying, so Draya simply nodded and replied, "Thank you. We'll talk with our sister to see what she's discovered and then we'll be out of your hair."

With that said, the two members of Hyperion Heights' own witch coven walked away from her to find their leader to inform her about the clinic they had learned about from one of the nurses currently on duty. The information had been told to them out of deception in order to draw the witches away from the detective being hid from them down in the basement of the hospital, but not everything Lily had said was a complete lie either. The clinic wasn't far and it's true that those who worked there don't ask a lot of questions about their patients, which made it the likely place someone in the friends of Rogers' situation would go, if Lily didn't already know where they really were.

Lily Tomko kept her eyes carefully on the four women looking for her detective friend's partner the best she could despite being asked to make a visit with a few of the other patients, but finally she watched as each of them left the hospital together nearly an hour later, after they had failed to get what they had come in for.

Once they were gone, the nurse quickly finished up her rounds and walked through the corridors further down to clock out after her shift, before she finally made her way back down into the basement so she could talk with Detective Weaver about Eloise and her coven sisters looking for his partner.

"Nurse Tomko… the look on your face says something's happened," Gold said to her in concern after he stepped outside of the room where the others were continuing to look after Rogers, upon seeing the nurse coming down through the window. "What's wrong?"

"Please… call me Lily," she responded in frustration and concern. "I'm sorry. It's just that… Your partner's wife and her friends were just here looking for him. They're gone now. I told them a lie about how you could have brought him to the clinic a few blocks away to have him cared for, but… If they go there and discover your partner isn't there, they might realize I deceived them and come back. I'm leaving for tonight and will be off for the next few nights, so I'm not worried about myself. But him… and the rest of you…"

Weaver laid his hand over her arm in gratitude while he answered, "Don't worry about us too much. Our friend's awakened and he appears to be a little better than before, though he's still very weak and in pain."

Lily sighed worryingly, as Zelena stepped outside of the room as well upon hearing them talking, then the nurse continued, "If you wish, I can get you some medicine for him… for the pain. And if you have your car, I can show you where you can park around the back of this building, then guide you all to an exit so you can hopefully get him out without being seen by anyone who might try to stop you. I realize your friend's ill, but I'm afraid it's not safe for him to remain here for much longer, in case they decide to come back or you're discovered. We can head back to my apartment and you can care for him there."

"That's very generous of you," Zelena sincerely replied, then glanced over at Gold. "In case who comes back?"

"Eloise and her cult," he curtly responded. "Go tell your sister and fiancé that we're going to need to leave and to help prepare Rogers for travel. Don't worry… we'll be able to get Rogers out of here without jostling him too badly. He'll be able to continue to rest once we're somewhere more safe. If we can get Rogers well enough and back on his feet now that we've helped to restore his most important memories, I doubt Eloise would be foolish enough to attempt to hurt him like this again."

Kelly looked at him in disbelief while she questioned, "Are you certain of that?"

Gold then shook his head as she answered, "No… not really. With Eloise, anything's possible."

By nine o'clock that morning, the heroes were carefully moving Rogers from within the hospital out to Weaver's car after Lily had gotten them a wheelchair to push him in. What none of them knew, was that Gothel was watching them from a window three stories above them after she discovered she and her sisters had been deceived.


	36. Chapter 36

Whipping Boy

Chapter Thirty-Six

Rogers stayed at Lily's apartment over the next three days as he struggled to recover from what remained of his injuries and his pain Gothel hadn't healed, the chronic headaches which continued to plague him on account of the witch messing with his mind to pull away his memories and to keep him in his zombie like state, as well as while fighting off the withdrawal symptoms from the plant toxins Eloise had dispersed into his system. At last, Gold came to pick him up in his car to take his partner home so that Rogers would finally feel more at ease.

Neither of the men spoke much as the senior detective drove, and Weaver didn't push Rogers to talk knowing that he wasn't ready to. Neither did Regina, Zelena, or Tilly whenever they had come to visit with him since they left with him from the hospital. They all understood Rogers would talk when he was ready and with whom he was the most comfortable to share what he had been through. So instead, they quietly focused on the road ahead, or listened to the faint music playing over the radio Gold had turned down low.

When they finally arrived in front of the apartment building where Rogers and now Tilly lived, Gold turned off his car and turned to his partner to talk as he spoke quietly saying, "Before we go inside, I thought you might like to know that I've taken the liberty of finding a new place for Tilly to live since you're now on the mend. I realize you gave her a key to your apartment for while you were on your sabbatical because you were worried about her living in that shipping container down at the train yard all alone, but she won't have to continue living there now that you're back. I've spoken with her and she's…"

The younger man suddenly interrupted him when he answered, "She doesn't have to leave… if she doesn't wish to. I may have just given her the key for while I was gone, but I have a spare room and anything else she may need right there. If she needs anything else, I can get it for her. That is, if she doesn't mind sharing the living space. Tilly doesn't deserve to be thrown back out just because I've come back. I owe her at least that much for helping all of you save my life."

"I had a feeling you might say something like that," Weaver replied proudly upon suspecting Rogers would feel this way in regards to having the young woman stay with him despite not knowing she was really his daughter, and finally opened his door to get out, then walked around the car to the passenger side in order to help his friend get out as well before they headed inside and took the elevator up to Rogers' apartment.

"I might have told you this already, though… my mind is still a bit hazy, but I… I wanted to thank you, Weaver," Rogers said again when he then turned to face his partner once they reached the door of his apartment, before he stuck his own key in the lock to enter inside. "I'll offer my thanks to the others too, but since I have you alone at this moment… I just wanted to make sure you knew how grateful I am to you for getting me away from Eloise and saving me from her as you have. And I'm sorry for ever doubting you were a good man before."

Gold smiled and then he responded, "You're very welcome, Rogers. Though I wasn't always a good man and there are days even now I still don't believe I am. I know I certainly didn't make it easy for you to trust me, but… I appreciate your sincerity and kindness. As well as your friendship."

His partner nodded, then he finally opened the door and was surprised when Tilly suddenly appeared before him as she jumped up from behind the island inside the kitchen while she cried, "Surprise! Welcome home, detective!"

"She thought you might appreciate a small party to celebrate your return," Gold spoke when Rogers looked over at him with apprehension upon seeing balloons, streamers, and a banner hanging up in his living room which read, _Welcome Home_. "Although, the celebration isn't supposed to be for another hour yet when everyone can be here. Nor was it meant to be a surprise. We didn't want to startle you."

"He's right, and I'm sorry," Alice quickly apologized while she looked unrequitedly into her father's eyes. "It's just that I'm really happy you're home again. I wanted tonight to be special for you, despite what you might still be feeling from all that's happened to you after you came home the last time."

Rogers smiled in gratitude and then with sincerity he answered, "No, of course… I'm grateful. Tilly. This is very kind of you all to do for me. So… thank you. Will you both be staying then until everyone else gets here?"

The senior detective began to pull off his coat, then looked over at his partner again while he replied, "I've nowhere else to be the rest of the day. Why don't the two of you play a game of chess and I'll get to work on something for supper."

"I've got the chessboard and its pieces all set up," Tilly happily exclaimed as she walked over to Rogers, then guided him into the living room where it sat upon the coffee table in between two pillows on the floor for them to sit on while they played. "Like usual, you can be white and I'll be black."

"Why is it that you love to play so much, Tilly?" Killian then asked once they were settled on the floor, as he made the first move with his rook like he always did. "I know you mentioned before how doing so had something to do with your father, but…"

Weaver listened closely to their conversation from within the kitchen while worked quietly, and Alice lowered her head to stare down at her pieces as she sadly responded, "Chess is more than just a game for me, as it was for him too. It was peace and… a reminder of what we once had together until I lost him. Playing reminds me of him."

She reached down to trace her fingers over her black rook while she continued, "My father always used to call me his little rook because it was… for some reason always my favorite piece. As for him…"

"To me… my father was always my white knight," she then added when she lifted her hand again and reached across the board to pick up Rogers' white knight piece. "He once gave me a piece just like this one and told me it would always help me to remember him."

"He sounds like he was someone very special to you," Rogers answered with remorse for her in his eyes and in the sound of his voice. "I'm so sorry for your loss, Tilly."

Weaver then swiftly stopped what he was doing as he looked over between father and daughter, especially when Alice suddenly took her father's hand in her own and laid the white knight into his palm, continuing to hold him while she looked into his eyes, then pleadingly she whispered, "Papa… come back to me. Please… I need you."

The detective looked deeply into her eyes as she desperately spoke to him, then upon hearing the girl's plea while he felt her gentle touch and the ivory horse in his hand, he gasped when memories of his true self all of a sudden began to flash through his head as Captain Hook fought to awaken from the back of Rogers' mind.

Once the flashes ended, Rogers gasped in shock once again while he stared away from those now looking down at him with worry after Gold had come around to stand above Tilly as she rose up on her knees nervously in wait for him to say or do something. Then before either of them could speak, the younger man finally lifted his head and stared into her eyes as recognition appeared to set in, while he smiled before he suddenly pulled her into his arms to embrace his daughter at last.

While he held her, Hook lovingly whispered, "I'm here, Starfish. You saved me."

"Papa!" Alice cried happily, as she embraced him even tighter upon hearing her father when he spoke one of his pet names he always used for her, then started to laugh out of joy and relief. "You're awake! But how… How are you here?"

"It's because of the power that is still inside you, even if you cannot wield it as Gothel wields her own," Gold steadfastly replied while he continued to look down on them, then Alice finally pulled back from her father and quickly wiped away the tears in her eyes so she could look up her friend as he spoke. "Your strength and power, not only as the Guardian, but as your father's daughter… is far stronger than you know, Alice."

He then reached out his hand towards his partner and continued, "Welcome back, Captain Hook."

Hook reached up to shake Gold's hand with gratitude and smiled smugly as he responded, "Crocodile. Thank you. For everything."

"Before you say so, so lightly… how exactly do you feel towards Mother Gothel?" the Dark One then asked him to test a theory he hoped to be true.

"I hate her with every fiber of my being," the pirate captain answered resolutely and smiled again, only this time simply out of sheer relief when a new recognition suddenly settled over him. "You both didn't just wake me up, but it appears you've also broken the spell she cast over me years ago. Her obsession spell… I'm free."

He struggled to rise to his feet with his daughter's help, then Alice replied, "I'm so happy for you, Papa. That's wonderful."

Hook could then see sadness appear across her face and in her eyes too, and laid his hand under her chin to gently lift her head up so she would look him in his eyes while he asked, "What is it, Starfish?"

"It's just that there's still one more thing that could keep up us apart," Alice responded sadly as she looked up at him. "The Curse of the Poisoned Heart. If the dark curse should break…"

"…then you and I won't be able to remain together," her father finished for her when he understood her fear.

All of a sudden, a knock sounded at the door, but before either of them stepped away to go answer it, Gold looked between Hook and Alice again while he answered, "One day… we will somehow find a way to break the curse keeping the two of you apart as well. In the meantime, enjoy the time you have together here and now… and try not to worry about the future."

The senior detective finally walked over to the door upon hearing a second knock and opened it to find Regina with a cake in her hands, along with Henry, Lily, Zelena, Chad, and Margot all standing outside of Rogers' apartment, then motioned for everyone to come in as he stepped aside so they could pass by him. Everyone immediately began to greet Rogers mostly, as well as Tilly and Weaver too. However, before Gold could close the door again, Jacinda appeared before him, followed closely by Lucy and Sabine.

Nearly another hour passed by as each of their friends took turns asking Rogers how he was feeling and if there was anything they could do for him, along with lots more talk about how happy they were he was finally okay again after all he'd been through with Eloise, making it impossible for him to share with those who were also awake the truth that he was now as well.

However, once things settled down a bit as the conversations between everyone started to split up into several, Hook suddenly made his way through the crowd of friends and reached out to grab Regina's hand, then swiftly led her into his bedroom before he closed the door behind them so he could talk with her for a few minutes alone. Yet as she was about to ask what was wrong, he suddenly pulled her against him and held her close while he began to kiss her just as he had years ago before the Queen had broken off their relationship for his daughter's sake.

Regina didn't fight it as she gave into her own yearning, having wanted to be able to kiss the man she loved again for so long, until Rogers finally pulled back so he could stare into her eyes and before he could speak, she looked at him with confusion as she questioned, "Not that I'm complaining at all, Rogers, but… what suddenly brought that on?"

"I suppose the truth that I'm not just Rogers anymore, but the man who is still madly in love with a woman named Regina Mills," he replied with a big smile on his face. "Just as I have been for a very long time."

"Hook?!" she then uttered out of shock as she suddenly began to comprehend his revelation. "But how… You're awake!"

He laughed and then responded, "Alice woke me. Though that doesn't really matter right now. The important thing is, I'm here and I'm not going anywhere again. Gothel's spell she cast over me to make me infatuated with her… it's been broken as well. I'm ashamed by what I allowed her to do to me before, but I'm no longer her whipping boy and she won't ever hurt me like that again."

Regina embraced him again and held him in her arms while she whispered, "You were never her whipping boy, Killian. You're far too strong to be that. I even told her so. I would love nothing more than to keeping holding you like this all night long, but there's a party going on out there and you have lots of guests here for you. We should get back out there before they notice we're missing."

"And by the way…" she quickly added as they were about to leave the room again. "I do love you too, Killian. I never stopped."

"That's certainly good to know," Hook stated happily, then quickly kissed her once more before they rejoined their loved ones for the rest of the evening.

The next morning…

Hook awoke after another restless night despite finally becoming himself again and being free from Gothel's power over him, then drove to the precinct like he had done every morning before his sabbatical. However, once he pulled into the parking space outside of the station, he turned off the ignition and just sat inside his car while he once again became lost in his thoughts.

The truth was, he was reluctant to return to duty as Gold's partner on account of finally having read Sidney Glass' story about him in the newspaper several mornings ago. At last he understood why he had been given dirty looks by so many people in the hospital, especially from the cops he had seen while being treated there. And while he was more sure of the man he really was now that he was Hook once again, he was also still more shaken by all Gothel had done to him while trapped under her thrall than he could admit to his daughter, the woman he loved, and his partner.

However, the younger detective hadn't been sitting long, when Weaver appeared by his passenger side window and knocked gently against the glass to gain his attention. Rogers quickly unlocked and opened the door to him, then his partner sat down in the seat beside him so they could talk.

Upon eyeing the copy of the newspaper with the story about Rogers up on his partner's dashboard, Gold picked it up, then glanced over at him and said quietly, "Sidney Glass is a corrupt, sleazy reporter and lawyer whose paper is ostracized despite his and Facilier's efforts. I hoped you would recognize there's no truth to what he wrote about you, though I do understand your reluctance to come back to work. You needn't feel ashamed or believe any of the lies written here. Hook… you know you're not the man he's depicted."

The Captain nodded while he answered, "Aye. I do know it. As you do, but… no one else in there does. I've seen their looks and heard the whispers. What good am I to them and everyone in Hyperion Heights if they don't feel they can trust me?"

"But it isn't just that," Hook quickly added before Weaver could talk again. "I'm not so sure I can trust myself to be a detective, let alone your partner any longer. The things I have done… What I did while Gothel's slave, for lack of a better word… What I told you the day I left the Heights weeks ago still stands. I became her puppet because I was weak and I allowed her to get inside my head. Her magic she put inside me years ago may be gone and I may remember who I am, but despite what I've told our friends and my daughter, I'm not so sure she won't be able to hurt me like this again. You deserve someone better."

"And what I said to you on your first day as my partner still stands as well," the older man finally replied in sincerity, as he looked his friend square in his eyes. "I saw in you a man with a moral core. You are a good man and a damn fine detective. And now it isn't just a glimpse I see in you any longer. I won't accept any other partner other than you, Hook. I've been defending you whenever I hear someone say something against you, but if the other cops can't find it in themselves to accept what's in that story as anything more than a bunch of lies, then let them be damned."

The pirate stared at his former enemy in surprise by his conviction and trust in him, then when he didn't say anything, Gold questioned, "So… shall we go in and see what's in store for us today?"

Rogers smiled and then responded, "Thank you, Gold."

A few hours later, both men were sitting at their desks catching up on paperwork since there were no crimes for them to report to and not much else going on which required their assistance. But unfortunately, the afternoon didn't continue to go like they hoped when much to their surprise, Gothel walked into their office with a cool, smug look on her face and stopped short of Rogers' desk while Hook immediately stood and backed away from her.

"Just what the hell are you doing here?" the Dark One asked darkly when he stood as well and glared at the villainess before them. "Have you come to turn yourself in for the multiple crimes you've committed against my partner?"

"You and I both know you won't arrest me despite what I've done," Gothel answered smugly while she looked between both men, though she stopped her eyes on Hook. "You won't bother wasting your time because you know I have the magic to be able to escape any time I want."

Killian looked at her while he angrily replied, "If you've come to gloat, then save your breath. Whatever hold you had on me before is gone and I won't fall for your deceptions again."

She smiled at him cruelly upon seeing for herself that her spell over Rogers had been broken, as she then responded, "So it is true then? Welcome back, Captain. I must say I'm a little surprised, but then our daughter is far more powerful than even I knew. I should never have underestimated her. I realized Alice had woken the night she came to my apartment to keep me distracted so your friends could kidnap you in hope of bringing you back. Only, I realized it too late and now… here we are."

"Papa, I wanted to come…" Alice started to say while she neared the office once she walked into the station to see how Hook was feeling after his first few hours back at work, until she suddenly froze as soon as she stepped foot inside upon seeing the witch standing there between her and her father. "Just what the hell do you think you're doing here? Did you come to hurt my father again?"

"Alice… it's all right," he quickly answered her. "I'm okay. Just go. We'll talk later when I get home."

However, Gothel spoke up again as she slowly crept closer to Hook saying, "Don't worry… I was just about to leave myself. It's so sweet that you've wasted no time in becoming father and daughter again just like before. And you're even still living together."

The Captain continued to glare at her coldly as she neared him, then swiftly roamed her hand along Hook's cheek and down over his chest until he suddenly shoved her back to get her away from him. At last, Weaver stepped around the desks and continued to pull Eloise away from his partner until she was no longer inside their office. Neither detective saw her passing off a piece of paper with a message on it to Tilly as the witch was pushed past her.

The girl from Wonderland stared down at it in confusion until Gothel called out to her daughter, "Soon you will choose to join me willingly if you truly do care about your father's health, Tilly. Or rather… Alice. Goodbye, detectives."

"Was she just threatening you?" Alice asked fearfully when she looked over at her father again once the villainess was finally gone, then quickly dropped the paper into the waste basket on the floor by her feet not caring about what it might have said, before she started walking towards him to give him a hug.

However, the moment they touched, Hook suddenly gasped in pain and collapsed to his knees as he reached up to his chest upon feeling the poison in his heart become activated once more. His daughter immediately backed away as far away from him as she could without leaving altogether to make sure he would be alright, while she cried out for him in fear. Thankfully, Gold was right there and quickly rushed to his partner's side to try to help him.

"How is this possible?!" Alice cried angrily. "There's no magic here. Not while we're still cursed?! My father should be okay!"

The senior detective looked between his closest friend and his daughter worryingly and then whispered, "It's exactly as I feared."

As he continued to struggle through the pain still holding firmly within his heart, Rogers weakly turned his head as he questioned, "What is? Aah!"

"I told Regina… I feared if you should both wake, that Gothel would most assuredly retaliate against you and all of us for thwarting her plans for you, and now she has," Gold replied with concern for both Rogers and Tilly. "I'm so sorry, Hook."

"This is my fault," Alice uttered despondently as she backed away a few more feet, until she suddenly ran back inside to grab the paper Gothel had slipped to her and swiftly ran off, but not without apologizing to her father first. "I'm so sorry, Papa. I'm sorry."

The Captain struggled to stand again with Weaver's help while he weakly cried after her shouting, "Alice! Alice!"

When Gold bowed his head, yet continued to hold his partner steady while Hook remained on his feet, he then stated, "Come… let's at least get you back home where you can rest for the rest of the day. You need to rebuild your strength and allow your heart time to recover."

"No… just take me to Roni's," Rogers responded in frustration, then allowed his friend to guide him through the precinct so they could leave and head to Kelly & Roni's Pub. "Please make sure she's… alright."

Later that evening…

After Rogers had tried several times to reach his daughter on her cell phone to talk to her and to assure her he was alright again, Alice finally answered his call and listened as he spoke to her. She too assured him that she was okay as well, then told her father she would move out and return to living in the shipping container by the train tracks. However, Killian pleaded with Alice to stay at his place and said he would find someplace else for himself until they could cure the poison in his heart. Reluctantly, Tilly agreed to ease her father's mind.

"I love you, Papa," she whispered sadly, while the girl from Wonderland and other places stood just outside of the bar and looked in at her father sitting at one of the tables inside through the window, then finally hung up the phone and walked away.

Though she had hung up before he could say the same in return, Hook lowered his phone away from his ear to hang up as well while he downheartedly answered, "I love you too… My Little Rook."

After the man she loved continued to stare down at his hand with hopelessness in his eyes for a few minutes more, Regina finally came over to sit beside him, then pulled him into her arms to hold him in an effort to comfort him in the little way that she could. As she did so, a tear slipped down from the corner of his eye, which he quickly wiped away before another could fall and finally pulled back to look into her eyes.

When he did so, the Captain pushed aside his feelings of despair and anger towards the witch who had hurt him one last time after Regina spoke again as she said, "Oh Killian… I'm so sorry."

But he shook his head and darkly replied, "It's still just Rogers, Regina. Not Killian and not Hook. It's the cursed name I was given and while I may remember who I really am now, I'm still cursed. I still can't be with my daughter. Our fight against Gothel and Facilier is still not over, so until they are defeated and these curses are broken once and for all, it's still… just Rogers."

"Wait!" Regina suddenly called out to him after he stood and started to walk away to leave for the night, then Hook turned around to face her again. "You're looking for a place stay until you can be with Alice again, so… come move in with me."

"What?" he questioned while he stared at her in confusion.

The Queen sighed and walked back to him again as she continued, "Please… move in with me. You need a place to stay and now that you're awake, you know that I love you just as I did years ago before the curse, and before I ever allowed Gothel to get into my head too. Do you want to know why I broke up with you back then?"

When he simply continued to stare at her, she spoke again saying, "It's because she threatened Alice, Rogers. Gothel told me she would kill your daughter if I didn't break your heart. I didn't want to, but I knew you would blame yourself if she died. I couldn't risk it."

"So, you allowed me to blame myself when I believed that what went wrong between you and I was my fault instead?" Hook sadly asked while he looked into her eyes, as she feared he was angry with her until spoke again. "I wish you would have told me this back then. Because I never would have let you go had I known the truth."

"We will protect Alice from Gothel and her coven until we finally find a way to defeat them together," he then added as Regina looked at him again with surprise in her eyes, until Rogers suddenly pulled her in close so he could kiss her, while Henry Zelena and Chad both watched them from behind the bar and smiled upon seeing them a little happier.

When he pulled back again, Regina smiled at him as she asked, "Does this mean you're going to move in with me then?"

Hook laughed and then sincerely he responded, "If you really meant what you said about sharing your apartment with me, then I accept. I love you too, Regina."

Meanwhile…

Alice walked throughout the neighborhood under the cover of night as she made her way down beneath the community garden through a tunnel until she found herself within an underground cavern, where she found Mother Gothel and her three sisters waiting for her to arrive.

"I finally understood your note you passed me at the station," the girl from Wonderland stated coldly as she glared at the villainess, not really caring about the other witches at the moment. "Your map of this place took me a little longer, but the message itself quickly became clearer as soon as the poison in my father's heart flared again like years ago. I hurt him. I could have killed him right then."

"Just be grateful that you didn't," Gothel answered her cruelly. "So by coming here tonight… does this mean you accept your role as my daughter and agree to join me and our sisters?"

Tilly pulled out the paper her mother had given her and read its message aloud, " _If you wish to save your father's life, join me or the poison in his heart will soon kill him. Only I can save him now._ "

She then crumpled it in her hands and dropped it on the ground while she continued sadly, "I can't be responsible for killing my father. Is it true? If I do agree to join you in whatever misguided plans you have for all of humanity, will you really cure the poison that's killing him?"

"Once you help us, we will help him," the leader of the coven replied to her smugly, then reached out her hand for her daughter to take in agreement.

"Fine…" Alice retorted out of disappointment in herself for giving into her mother's demands, even if it was for the sake of her father. "What do you need me to do?"

Gothel smiled cruelly as she responded, "Just take my hands and do as I say. Soon, the world will be just as it should be."

That same night…

Lucy worked with Dr. Facilier to cure her own father of the poison he too had been cursed with just before the dark curse fell over the heroes and villains years ago, while Regina and Hook fought to restore the memories and belief in the man who had the heart of the truest believer within his chest. At last, they both succeeded as Henry became awakened too.

However, it wasn't long after Alice, daughter of Mother Gothel and Captain Hook as she was born from both sides of the looking glass, reluctantly agreed to join the coven so the tree nymph could cast her final curse on the world, that the heroes discovered their plans and that hook's daughter had been forced to become a part of it.

A battle between the heroes and Gothel along with her sister witches soon began when Hook, Gold, and Robin fought for Alice's life, while Regina left her bar in an attempt to defeat Gothel on her own in the belief she had failed to restore her son's belief and to protect the man she loved. However, the nymph was far too strong for her. Regina was unfortunately knocked down several times before Henry finally arrived and saved her life, then broke the curse with true loves kiss.

 _Regina's son held her in his arms while he whispered, "I'm sorry it took me so long to get here."_

 _"Oh, Henry," his mother answered, when Alice entered the garden alongside Robin and Rumplestiltskin once the Hook's daughter awakened from under Gothel's own trance so they could make their stand against the villain and stop her once and for all, as Henry helped his mother stand up again and turned to face Gothel while Regina ignited a fireball within the palm of her hand. "I'm just glad to have you back. And my magic."_

 _"_ _It's not enough, Regina," the nymph replied smugly, as she easily snuffed out the flames which the Queen fired at her, then started towards her and Henry to return with an attack of her own._

 _However, she spun around quickly when Gold stepped forward while Alice and Robin followed close behind him and he responded, "Maybe. But perhaps your daughter's magic will be."_

 _Regina quickly uttered in relief, "Gold."_

 _"_ _My daughter's with me now, Dark One," Gothel answered the Dark One while she turned and started walking towards them, then turned her eyes on her. "Come here, Tilly."_

 _"_ _She was never with you," her friend and detective continued when Alice shook her head out of fear. "And now she's gonna be the one who stops you."_

 _Tilly immediately turned her head to glance over at the man beside her upon hearing what he had just told the woman standing against them, then she curtly retorted, "What? No. I can't fight her. She's a monster. She's too strong."_

 _And that was when her fear became very real, when her father… the man who had been Detective Rogers until only a short time ago, appeared behind his daughter standing weakly only a few feet away, holding his hand heavily over his heart while the poison within it began to flare again the closer he walked to her, as he unfalteringly replied, "Not half as strong as you, Alice."_

 _"_ _Papa, please," Alice pleaded with him when she, Robin, and Gold all turned around in surprise to find him there knowing the risk of what he was doing, then she started to back away when her fear grew as his agony only intensified the closer he got to her._

 _"_ _I know you're afraid," Rogers continued._

 _She stepped back again while she sadly responded, "You're hurting yourself. You're growing weak."_

 _But her father never stopped despite his gasps for breath while he struggled through his anguish and answered, "No, I'm finally growing strong. You make me stronger."_

 _"_ _Yet every step you take, your heart grows weaker," Gothel replied cruelly and smugly as she relished in Hook's pain._

 _"_ _You can do this," Rogers responded again once he was finally standing beside his daughter and breathed heavily while he reached out to take her hand in his own, as Alice looked at him with admiration and the newfound strength he had hoped to instill within her. "I'm here with you."_

 _Rogers raised his prosthetic hand up to his chest as he continued to fight the pain, then Robin swiftly reached down to take her other hand as well and answered, "And so am I."_

 _Henry and Regina smiled at them from behind the villainess between them as Gothel replied angrily, "Don't be a fool. Join your mother and defend your home."_

 _"_ _You are not my mother," Alice responded to her stalwartly when her confidence within herself continued to strengthen. "You want to ruin me the way the world ruined you. But I'm not like you. I'm not an outcast. I'm not an orphan or a street rat or some crazy girl who's lost her way. You chose hate."_

 _"_ _But I choose love," she added, recalling how she had looked over at her father again while tears slipped down her cheeks and saw him smiling at her proudly, before she turned back to face the woman claiming to be her mother once more._

 _When Gothel knew she had failed to turn her daughter to her side, the tree nymph became angry and suddenly unleashed all her power within her against Alice, Hook, Gold, and Robin. However, the young girl from Wonderland and other places at last had the strength she needed to fight for those she loved against her mother and unleashed her own power against Gothel in return. It didn't take long before Alice's light magic defeated the villainess, as her power transformed the evil woman into a dead tree, until the Guardian stepped forward once again to give the tree a little life and beauty._

 _The young woman stepped forward and grew a multitude of hyacinth flowers all around its trunk while Tilly whispered to her mother sincerely, "I'm sorry your life twisted into something you never meant it to. I promise I will do better. For everyone."_

Regina started towards Hook when the battle was over upon seeing him falter in Gold's arms, but as she passed his daughter to do so, she stopped for a moment and reached out to touch her arm while she said quietly, "You did your father proud, Alice. Try not to worry, we'll find a way to save him too. I promise."

Gothel was at last defeated along with her entire coven. Her dark curse had finally been broken, Henry was cured from his own poison by Dr. Facilier, who was later killed himself by Rumplestiltskin of the Wish Realm, Sidney Glass fled Hyperion Heights upon finally becoming a free man to disappear once again, and the heroes were reunited once more… all except for Alice and Hook.

However, one final battle no one expected took place a day later when the worst version of Rumplestiltskin made himself known. Henry's wife and daughter were taken prisoner, two versions of Henry, the man born from the Savior and the Dark One's son, Baelfire and the other from the Wish Realm like Hook and the villain who came after Gothel, went on a journey of self discovery to regain their happy endings. And Gold made one final sacrifice in order to save Hook's life when the poison in his heart finally took its ultimate toll after Rumplestiltskin nearly won by trapping every hero in their own nightmarish story. Hook and Alice were at last together again with no fear of any poison keeping them apart, and while Gold had died, he too received his own happy ending when he was finally reunited with Belle at last, as a reward for selflessly giving his own heart to his closest friend so that Hook could live happily with his daughter once more.

When all was said and done, Regina cast one final curse to bring together all kingdoms to Storybrooke so everyone could become united together in one realm. In the end, Regina was crowned the first ever elected Queen of the United Kingdoms as she was named, the Good Queen. Zelena and Chad lived together within the Emerald City of Oz, young Henry from the Wish Realm found his happy ending among family who loved him, Henry, Ella, and Lucy lived happily among their largely grown family as well, and Emma and Killian lived their happy ending together with their newborn daughter, Hope. As for Alice and Robin, they were soon married and Alice's father was there to walk the girl from Wonderland down the aisle as he hoped to be. And finally, Queen Regina ruled happily for many, many years with Hook of the Wish Realm by her side as they too, lived happily ever after.

The End


	37. Thank You

Thank you to all who have read and have written reviews for my story! You are much appreciated. I am so incredibly grateful for your kindness and generosity. I'm deeply honored and I hope to hear from you all again, should you choose to read and enjoy more of my work. Best of wishes to you all!

Sincerely,

Genevieve Kelly


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